At the end of this year we ordered a lot of non fiction to be used in the classroom and I've been trying to make my way through some of it in preparation for book clubs in the fall. I just finished Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon's graphic adaptation of the Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, which shared the commissioner's answers and recommendations in response to the 9/11 attacks.
As someone who would probably not ever read the full text version of the report, I found this book to be incredibly educational and thorough. In its 133 pages, I was given a general comprehension of what led up to the attacks, how they happened, the government's response that day and moving forward and the recommendations for how our country can be better prepared for the future. I highly recommend reading it.
The most jarring point for me as a citizen was the lack of communication that existed between officials and departments on the city government level as well as the national level. It is overwhelming to think about how better communication, just like in almost every area of life, might have been able to help prevent the attacks or better assist in the aftermath.
One of the most interesting recommendations that the commission mentioned was for the government to have a greater imagination when thinking through policy. My question is always about where that starts. If students aren't given the opportunity to think bigger and wider and deeper, how will they acquire the kinds of skill sets that are already in short supply in both the government and private sector today?
Hand them books. Engage them in conversations. Invite them into ideas bigger than themselves. Teach them history in an engaging way and connect it to the future.
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