This brief glimpse into how schools responded to a national tragedy only hints at the magnitude of responses. No school board policy or university program had prepared American educators to respond to events like those of September 11 attack. Teachers and principals simply found themselves confronting a tragic event. Still, they quickly determined to participate in personal and national efforts of recovery from the trauma. Margaret S. Branson, associate director for the Center for Civic Education in Calabasas, California, observed that, during times of crisis educators, most often focus attention on common values. Following the terrorist attacks, consequently, educators focused on the ideals of democracy, freedom, and camaraderie. Much remains to be learned about how or if the national crisis impacted American schools' security and curriculum over an extended period of time.