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the BPCA, they were told they would be allowed to use a small park across from the high school, but then the BCPA rescinded that offer.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.