New law requires 9/11 moment of silence in NYC schools

Eighteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the governor of New York is making sure young students don’t forget the impact of that day. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation requiring all public schools to hold a moment of silence every year on September 11 — making remembrance the law, CBS New York reports.

It is customary to hold a moment of silence on 8:46 a.m on September 11th to remember the victims killed in the 2001 terror attacks. Now, it is the law to do so in New York public schools. Craig Ruttle/AP

On Monday, just two days before the 18th anniversary of 9/11, Cuomo established the “September 11th Remembrance Day.”

“9/11 was one of the single darkest periods in this state’s and this nation’s history, and we owe it to those we lost and to the countless heroes who ran toward danger that day and the days that followed to do everything we can to keep their memory alive,” Cuomo said.

“By establishing this annual day of remembrance and a brief moment of silence in public schools, we will help ensure we never forget — not just the pain of that moment but of the courage, sacrifice and outpouring of love that defined our response,” he continued, adding the law is being put in place to encourage dialogue in classrooms.

Cuomo hopes the law, which takes effect immediately, will ensure future generations understand the meaning of the day.

At the beginning of the school day, every September 11th going forward, all the children in New York public schools will be silent to remember the fallen.

The ‘Tribute in Light’ memorial lights up lower Manhattan near One World Trade Center on September 11, 2018 in New York City. Spencer Platt / Getty Images