Sobbing Kindergarteners Snubbed for Steelers? (0's White House locks out Field Trip)

NBC Washington ^ | 5/22/2009 | Anne Reynolds

[mojito]

Thursday was supposed to be the highlight of the year for more than 100 kindergarteners from Stafford County, Va. They got up early and took a chartered bus to the White House for a school field trip. But when they arrived, all the 5-year-olds got was a lesson in disappointment.

The buses from Conway Elementary arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue a little later than planned, and they were locked out.

"We were going to the White House, but we couldn’t get in so I felt sad," 5-year-old Cameron Stine said.

Parents say they were just 10 minutes late for their scheduled tour. School officials say White House staff said they needed to get ready for the president's event with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, so they couldn't come in.

"I was angry cause they were disappointed," parent and chaperone Paty Stine said....

A lot of preparing had gone into the trip. Conway Elementary teachers had been planning the trip for months, each child paid $20 for a seat on the chartered bus, and names were submitted to the White House for clearance.

Parents say they tried to make it on time, but their chartered buses hit heavy traffic that slowed them down substantially. They thought they were supposed to show up by 10:15, but they say they arrived at 10:25 instead, and couldn’t get in.

"The person who headed this White House trip up came out and said, 'I’m sorry, the White House tour's off.' There were a lot of crying kids," parent Barbara Stine said.

[HungarianGypsy]

So, it was going to be a five minute tour and they were going to scoot them out? Were they just going to show them the gift shop, hand off some “I love Obama” products and send them on their way?

[Cicero]

Obama didn't want to be punished with a kindergartener.

[ThomasThomas]

What better learning experience could have happened here than knowing who Obama is. It is too late for the teachers.

[McGruff]

School officials say White House staff said they needed to get ready for the president's event with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, so they couldn't come in.

Throwing little children under the bus now? "Mr. President, if you have an ounce of dignity left, resign for the good of the nation"

[jennyjenny]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm sure the Steelers wouldn't have minded as they do that kind of stuff all the time. At the very least, I'm sure they would have understood if zero was a few minutes late greeting them because of the children arriving late. As I said, I'll bet bambi was late meeting with the Steelers regardless. I guess he feels he has nothing to lose with the children as they will be properly indoctrinated soon enough now that they're in kindergarten.

[fr_freak]

Since when should a President of the United States rearrange his day for a group of school teachers and kids that are an hour late?

The article said they were 10 minutes late, but I agree they should have been on time. If it were me I would have planned to arrive 30 minutes early, just to be sure.

[Sig Sauer P220]

Maybe he was afraid the kids where going to ask difficult questions, and his teleprompter wasn’t loaded.

[Erik Latranyi]

Just wait until Obama taxes sugary foods out of existence!

[Michael.SF.]

Priorities, what is more important after all, meeting a bunch of kids, or football heroes?

Nice move Barrack.

The WH staff who F'd this up should be fired.

[utahagen]

If I had an appointment at the White House, I'd show up on time. Them’s the breaks.

[70th Division]

WOMEN AND CHILDREN HURT MOST!

[armymarinedad]

According to the article and White House protocol(AMM met with Bush in the Oval Office) you are to be there well before the meeting time in this case 9:30. That makes them almost an hour late.

[rawhide]

I’m not sure about this? I understand the WH position. Perhaps Obama could have at least come out and greeted them?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Obama is a walking middle finger.

Thanks for my new tagline!

[Tijeras_Slim]

DC traffic can gridlock anytime for no apparent reason. Whe I lived there you could be bumper to bumper for three hours at midnight, and fly through rush hour the next day.

[HIDEK6]

DC traffic can gridlock anytime for no apparent reason.

All the more reason to leave early.

[McGruff]

No Hope and Change for you kids,

Now get under da bus!

[DesertRhino]

I bet you anything this was put together by teachers and parents who fawn over Obama *all*day*long*. Plus, arriving 10 minutes late to the WHITE HOUSE is the hallmark of a liberal.

Any normal people ive ever been around leading such a group would have been out there at least 30 minutes early. And they would have made allowances for contingencies, such as traffic.

This story doesnt bother me at all. Furthermore, i bet a repub white house, that ran perfectly on time, would have
figured out something for kids. Only a liberal has the stony heart like this.

[cschroe]

If I had an appointment at the White House, I'd show up on time. Them’s the breaks.

you ever make the drive from Stafford, VA into DC? Whoever from the school agreed to a 9:30 appointment was crazy, or they should have left at 6:30am. That's an UGLY drive at rush hour.

[WOBBLY BOB]

If he can walk on water, he can part the traffic.