An Associated Press investigation has found that while most U.S. states encourage schools to teach about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the details covered vary widely. With about one-third of Americans not being born yet when the attacks occurred, the need to educate younger generations has become increasingly important. This summer, educators from across the country gathered at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania to discuss how best to teach the events of that day to students, considering both the historical significance and the emotional weight of the topic. Discussions focused on what information is appropriate for young children and what victims’ families hope students will learn about the people who died. Teaching about 9/11 is now more critical than ever, given that many students today were not alive during the attacks. At least 40 states have policies that either require or suggest public schools address the event in some way, though the specifics of those policies differ significantly. Some states provide detailed course content, while others offer only general guidance. In the years following the attacks, fewer than half of the states explicitly mentioned 9/11 in their education standards, but more recent efforts have aimed to include the topic as a settled part of American history. Twenty-five states have laws or education standards that require or expect schools to teach about 9/11, while another 13 have optional mentions of the event. Additional states have policies requiring or recommending school observances, bringing the total number of states with some form of policy to at least 40. Even in states without specific laws, schools and teachers may still choose to include lessons on 9/11 on their own. The AP collected this information by requesting data from all states, reviewing standards from states that did not respond, and interviewing lawmakers and education officials. The approach to teaching 9/11 varies by state, often reflecting different historical and political perspectives. In Alabama, the topic is covered as part of a broader unit on U.S. military involvement since 1980, for students as young as fifth grade. Texas teaches the attacks as an example of “radical Islamic terrorism,” while Colorado encourages high school students to analyze the aftermath, including issues like Middle Eastern discrimination. New Mexico includes discussions on post-9/11 events such as the U.S. detention of suspected enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay and the Abu Ghraib prisoner-abuse scandal. Despite these differences, some states, including California, Florida, New Jersey, and North Dakota, all propose teaching about the balance between national security and civil liberties after 9/11. Educating students about 9/11 has not always been straightforward. Teachers often struggle with how to present the topic in a way that is both informative and sensitive. Some students, like 9-year-old Desmond Killian, ask basic but difficult questions, such as “Why did they want to crash into us?” Others, like 17-year-old Ameya Williams, have learned extensively about the attacks through school and family stories, including those from relatives who were directly affected. As the generation that lived through 9/11 grows older, the responsibility of passing on its lessons to younger students continues to fall on educators and memorials across the country.