Sometimes a crisis forces us to examine and prioritise individual or societal values, and perhaps change our ways. The tragedy on September 11, 2001 may be different from other tragedies only in scope; this time, all nations are being pushed to participate in identifying values that the world can or cannot tolerate. Individuals and nations also have to reconsider relationships-societal and international-and their influence in shaping values. Educators in all countries have an opportunity to re- examine values, relationships, and behaviours in their schools and societies, as well as the aims of education and curricular practices that reinforce those values. This paper provides a survey of the literature organised to synthesise four key issues within the values debate. The paper also suggests how and on what basis second-level curriculum rethinking could be carried out.