Obama won’t visit Barack Obama Elementary, despite students’ pleas

Students and parents have practically begged President Obama to visit an elementary school named in his honor, but their calls thus far have been unsuccessful.

The New York Post reported Tuesday that school officials, parents and students at Barack Obama Elementary School in Long Island again lobbied Mr. Obama for a visit when the president is in the area Thursday for a Democratic party fundraiser. It is at least the third time the school — named in the president’s honor after his election in 2008 — has asked Mr. Obama to stop by and meet students.

Previous requests in 2009 and 2012 also were turned down by the White House.

School officials resorted to asking if students could line up outside the Democratic fundraiser and shake hands with the president on the street.

“If your schedule does not permit a visit to our district, could we arrange to have some of our students meet and greet outside the fund-raiser with a Barack Obama Elementary School jacket?” wrote Board of Education President Lamont E. Johnson in a Sept. 26 letter to the president, the Post reported. “Your platform on education has acted as a true inspiration for us, and it would mean the world to our students to meet the incredible leader after whom our school is named.”