Why My Role as a Social Studies Teacher Compelled Me to Start This Petition

To everyone who has signed and shared this petition—thank you. As our community of supporters grows, I want to share a bit more about why this cause means so much to me.

Every single day, I walk into a New York City classroom as a High School Social Studies teacher. My job isn't just to teach history from a textbook; it is to teach our youth about democratic norms, civic responsibility, and the profound value of our public institutions. 

I teach my students that even when we disagree intensely on politics, our shared civic spaces must remain respected and intact.

I launched this petition from that exact educator's perspective. The 9/11 Ground Zero commemoration is a sacred piece of our history. It belongs to every single New Yorker. 

When we attempt to bar a democratically elected sitting Mayor from attending as a silent witness, we break a long-standing, non-partisan tradition. We turn a day of national remembrance into a partisan battleground.

By standing up for civic unity, we show the next generation that some moments are bigger than politics. Let's keep pushing forward to ensure this ceremony remains focused entirely on the victims, the survivors, and our shared resilience.