- Emma E. Booker Elementary School
Emma E. Booker Elementary School is an
elementary school inSarasota, Florida which opened in the fall of 1989. It is named forEmma E. Booker , an African-American educator who founded the first black school inSarasota County, Florida .Visit from President Bush
President
George W. Bush was visiting the school listening to children read the story "The Pet Goat " when he heard the news about the second plane crash (onWorld Trade Center South Tower)September 11, 2001 attacks .The President had flown in the day before, spent the night at the
Colony Beach and Tennis Resort , jogged four miles around the resort's golf course and had his morning security briefing. He left the resort at about 8:30 AM. Six blocks from the school, a pool photographer heard a radio message thatAri Fleischer would be needed to answer questions about a "crash" and that there was a call on hold fromCondoleezza Rice .Bush was reported not to have shown much visible concern as he entered the second-grade classroom of Sandra Kay Daniels. He introduced the class to Education Secretary
Rod Paige , shook hands with Mrs. Daniels, then he and the teacher sat down facing the two rows of 16 students.About 9:05 AM then-
White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card whispered into Bush's ear that a second plane hit the second tower of theWorld Trade Center . Bush appeared tense but continued to listen. At the conclusion, Bush said, "Really good. These must be sixth graders." The book included the phrase "more to come" and Bush asked the class, "What does that mean - 'more to come'?"Bush was scheduled for a meeting in the Library. He appeared 35 minutes late and announced, "This is a difficult time for America."
He then went to
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport where his plane taxied 9:54 AM and lifted off at 9:55 AM. The destination was not stated but turned out to beBarksdale Air Force Base inShreveport, Louisiana .References
*cite web
last = Adair
first = Bill
coauthors = Hegarty, Stephen
title = The drama in Sarasota
publisher = St. Petersburg Times
date = 2002-09-08
url = http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/08/911/The_drama_in_Sarasota.shtml
accessdate = 2007-06-15
* [http://www.usatoday.com/educate/vpp-keen-poolrpt.htm Pool news report by Judy Keen and Jay Carney on September 11, 2001, posted on USA Today Sept. 11 Resources]External links
* http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/schools/emma.htm
* http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/Emma/
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