Last week, Stuyvesant High School graduates revealed that both Stuyvesant High School and Battery Park City Authority officials had reneged on earlier promises to offer space to remember 9/11. Now, after press coverage (and pressure?) and the involvement of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, things have changed.
CityRoom reports, "In an agreement brokered by the Manhattan borough president, Scott M. Stringer, and the Battery Park City Authority’s chairman William C. Thompson Jr., the alumni will have a two-hour permit to use their school’s auditorium on Sunday. Mr. Thompson had the authority to issue a permit for use of the auditorium in the school building, which is on Battery Park City property." Stringer said, "I think a lot of people in New York did not want to forget the students of that time period, and I will tell you that when we talked to Bill Thompson he understood it immediately."
On Friday, Stuyvesant High School Principal Stanley Teitel had explained to us, "The high school isn't available. They think because they were here they can just come in, but they don't have rights," adding, "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?" And the BPCA had said, "Due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the September 11th commemoration including security issues and limited access in Lower Manhattan, Battery Park City Authority, in discussion with the Mayor’s office and various city agencies, has determined that we will not be issuing permits for events on September 9, 10 or 11th."
