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The Spectacle Blog

Lower Manhattan High School Principal Doesn't Get Why You'd Want to Remember 9/11

By John Tabin on 9.2.11 @ 4:43PM

Stuyvesant High School is located one block west and four blocks north of where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood. As one might imagine, 9/11 was a pretty damn significant event in the lives of the teenagers who were at the school that day. Some alumni would like to hold a memorial event on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 a week from Sunday; there's a community center located at the school that is open on the weekends, so there shouldn't be a problem, right?

Apparently there is a problem. Jen Chung of Gothamist reports:

Class of 2002 alum Gary He tells us that he, former Stuyvesant class president Jukay Hsu and others have been trying to secure space for students and teachers (Classes of 2002 through 2005) to reflect together. They say that Stuyvesant Principal Stanley Teitel first said they would need to pay for an event, and then said the school's agreement with the Battery Park City Authority precluded them from using any part of the school. When the alums contacted the BPCA, they were told they would be allowed to use a small park across from the high school, but then the BCPA rescinded that offer. Now, the frustrated students tell us, the BPCA special events/permitting coordinator is on vacation until September 12.

Principal Teitel gives Gothamist this jaw-dropping explanation:

"The high school isn't available. They think because they were here they can just come in, but they don't have rights." Further, he added, "Why would they want to relive that day? I certainly don't want to relive that day.... And they just happened to be [at the school on 9/11] -- why do they want to be here?"

The mind boggles.

Hat-tip to Benjy Sarlin, a Stuyvesant alum.

View all comments (16) | Leave a comment

solidground| 9.2.11 @ 5:04PM

Principal Teitel has a very tight ass.

Skippy| 9.2.11 @ 5:08PM

Bring back beatings.
Start with this asshole.

Sorry, I'm getting angrier each day as the anniv. approaches.
Even worse, I don't really care what anybody thinks of my attitude.
Kinda stupid, I know, but there I am.

JmsA| 9.5.11 @ 10:38AM

There's nothing wrong with your attitude, Skippy.

Occam's Tool| 9.2.11 @ 7:20PM

Skippy, you are right. Apparently the 9/11 comic book has the Paulbots and Islamists (heavy overlap, like Jack in WI) highly upset. I've bought my copy and plan to read it that Sunday Morning before rounding. (No financial interest)

Americans died that day at the hands of Islamists, who are NOT the victims of that day.

Clint| 9.3.11 @ 9:12AM

Dr.Ron Paul,
“Our military’s purpose is to defend our country, not to police the
Middle East.

“As the President prepares to send even more support to Egypt, we should
be reminded that it was our foreign aid that helped Mubarak retain power
to repress his people in the first place. Now we have to deal with the
consequences of those decisions, yet we keep repeating the same mistakes.

“I am not the only one who can see the absurdities of our foreign
policy. We give $3 billion to Israel and $12 billion to her enemies.
Most Americans know that makes no sense."

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.

N.P. Clearly| 9.3.11 @ 4:34PM

Hello. My name is N.P. Clearly and I'm the author of The 9-11 Comic Book, a 32-page graphic novel -- not to be confused with the coloring book called We Shall Never Forget 9/11, published by Really Big Coloring Books. I believe you're referring to the coloring book here in your post which has some people very upset, as you say. I wrote my book a year ago still haunted by my husband's narrow escape during the tragedy. The artist and I worked hard to produce a sensitive book with integrity, and we're grateful for the positive reviews we're gotten from readers from all walks of life. Yes, it's stylized and the narrator is a grumpy Angel of Death -- but that's it, available as a digital download on Graphicly.com. Thank you, American Spectator, for doing the story.

bobmontgomery| 9.2.11 @ 7:52PM

I don't think the alums want to *relive it* Teitel, you incompetent, illiterate, imbecile who has no business being anywhere near the education of youth.

albert constantine jr.| 9.2.11 @ 10:25PM

I don't recall advocating violence against public servants, and I hope not to do so here. Still, based on this report, if any islamist terrorist wished to crash an aircraft into Stanley Teitel, his family, his property, etc., ,I'm not sure that I would object.

Bob K.| 9.2.11 @ 11:29PM

I suppose it is because it is on a Sunday and it would require the presence of Teachers who would likely be entitled to Double Overtime pay under their Union contract.

Teitel just doesn't want to say that because then the Seniority provisions of the contract would determine how the teachers would be selected and who would be selected and grievances will no doubt be filed. Week end work under a government union contract is a big Pain in the A-- as it is without starting something like this, which if approved would no doubt also apply to every other High School in New York City. Every year hence in perpetuity!

A Grin Without a Cat| 9.2.11 @ 11:35PM

Teitel should be placed on double secret probation.

martin j smith| 9.3.11 @ 7:39AM

Principal Teital sounds like he may suffer from PTSD--he should have gotten treatment. But, do not impose your problems on others who may need this memorial for their own needs. Or is their some other motive. ? This guy saounds like he has an attitude problem which I do not appreciate regardless of the reason.

Hm| 9.4.11 @ 12:16PM

Let's be reasonable here. Teitel's comments are insensitive but even as alums, you can't just go demanding use of school property. If you want to hold a reflection, you can hold it pretty much anywhere. While obviously the school has very special significance, it should be more about the reflection and less about a power struggle for space. Let it go and move on with planning the event.

OLDRAY| 9.4.11 @ 1:03PM

Principal Teitel should be fired What is this stupid jerk doing as principal ? Who hired him?

Bob K.| 9.4.11 @ 4:40PM

Teitel probably doesn't have the authority to do this even if he wanted to do it.

As I said above, there are issues that would have to be negotiated with the Teacher's Unions and Support Staff Unions about which teachers and support staff would be assigned to work in the school on what is a Sunday. This might involve not just time and 1/2 but double time to be paid for the Sunday hours they would be assigned.

And if this happened I can see the Union Representatives for every other school in NYC demanding the same day of honor for their own specific schools! And they still have a week to get organized to demand this!

What makes the students and teachers from the years 2002 through 2005 in this specific school different from those in other NYC schools at that time? And why aren't the janitors and support staff who were working there at that time included? Those will be just some the issues that will have to be resolved.

NYC isn't called Gotham for nothing.

ROWDY BOOTS| 9.4.11 @ 10:00PM

Excuse me,

But why would one be surprised? This is an academic leech who lives on Union salary and benefits...also, he is a left wing crud.

oops, did I get carried away?

My apologies

yisong| 10.27.11 @ 9:44PM

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