09/11/2001 I was 7 months pregnant and working at the Pentagon

[3Hotdogs]

26. I was a teacher in Ferris H.S. in Jersey City. It was my 5th day employed at the school.

Ferris had an unobstructed view of the W.T.C. from the second floor walkway. I was teaching a first period class when Charlie (English teacher) opened the door, motioned me into the hallway and told me a plane had just crashed into the W.T.C.

There are things that are difficult to sort out in your head and make sense of. Charlie had a sense of humor... was that it? No, that wouldn't be funny. I recall a plane crashing into the Empire State Building.... 1947? So it could happen.

Minutes later, principal comes on the squawk box.... "When the bell rings --- fuck, what bell, it was a buzzer--- teachers and students, please remain in your classes. There is a big soap spill in the hallway that we need to clean up before we can move safely through the halls. We will let you know when it is cleaned and safe to go to your classes."

That was good creative thinking on her part. We remained in the classroom for about an hour. "No, you can't go to the bathroom."

Charlie came back and took over so I could get a bathroom break.. I was already on the second floor and there, through the window, were two, now there were two, buildings with smoke coming out of their sides.

At 11:00, classes were dismissed and students told to go directly home. I don't know how that worked out with the district elementary school students.

At noon, teachers and staff reported to the auditorium, "the Audi," as it was called. Our students and staff were/are multi ethnic. Black, Hispanic, Indian, Chinese and about 1% Islamic - mostly Pakistani. There we were in the Audi. Principal summarized what was known and said we were to go home to our families and we would conclude the assemblage with a prayer.. Would we please take the hand of the person next to us?

I was in an aisle seat and the person next to me was a Pakistani teacher, wearing a hijab. We held each others' hand while the principal spoke a prayer. I am an atheist and I support the separation of church and state but this prayer in this public school was right and good.

The school was closed for about 10 days as the gym was used to house people who were unable to complete their travel because air transport was cancelled. A couple of hundred people were given shelter in the gym and classrooms of the school.

I live in Essex County, N.J. The Watchung Ridge goes through the South Mountain reservation (designed by Olmsted) and it gave us an unobstructed view of the smoke coming out of the ruins of the two buildings. For approximately a month, hundreds of people would drive to the "res" and silently stare at the smoke. That went on for about a month until the smoke stopped.

When school reopened, we learned that several of our students lost parents and other relatives who worked in the W.T.C. buildings,

One month later, we held a memorial gathering in the field outside of the school.