By David Kirk, Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Kim Middlemas was teaching a third grade class at East Dale Elementary on September 11, 2001.
“My student teacher was teaching ‘Dancing Spaghetti,’ I’ll never forget that,” said Middlemas, now principal at Pleasant Valley Elementary. “We [teachers] were all called out into the hallway and our principal told us to not discuss it with the kids.”
After all, these were elementary school children. The harsh realities of 9/11 are a bit graphic to teach to young kids.
However, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of that day, teachers at Pleasant Valley are looking to use the memory of that tragedy to teach their students some valuable lessons.
“I’m not so sure that I have the right as an administrator to teach [the students] all about 9/11, it could offend some parents,” Middlemas said. “Of course, we don’t want to go too in-depth with it, but I think it’s important that [the students] have respect for first responders and the flag and their freedoms.” …