Sobbing Kindergarteners Snubbed for Steelers?

[Anonymous]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Kindergarteners-Snubbed-for-Steelers.html

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.

Obama Snubs Kids for Steelers?

"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 luncheon 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.

The White House tells a slightly different story. A spokesperson said the group was actually supposed to be there at 9:30, but they held the gates for the group until 10:30, 15 minutes longer than they told the group, but when they still hadn't arrived, they had to draw the line.

Paty Stine said the White House staff should have made an exception. She feels the kindergarteners were snubbed for the Steelers.

"Here we have President Obama and his administration saying, 'Here we are for the common, middle class people,' and here he is not letting 150 5- and 6-year-olds into the White House because he’s throwing a lunch for a bunch of grown millionaires," Stine said.

Thursday night the White House released this statement: "The President and First Lady are dedicated to opening the doors of the White House to the public, and it is unfortunate to see young people miss a tour. The visitor’s office is already working to reschedule the group."

Parents say it's probably too late. The school year ends in a few weeks and they doubt the tour can be made up in that time.

[Anonymous]

I actually think this tour is not appropriate for the age anyway. I went in Jr.High and remember I found it boring. I can't believe it would really hold the interest of 5 year olds for a long time. I don't think they were snubbed. Its no secret that there is traffic in DC.

[Anonymous]

I think the people who should be ashamed in this situation are the adults who showed up late. You have a meeting at the white house - you show up insanely early. Traffic is a lame excuse for lateness. It's rush hour - of course there was traffic!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the local TV news really, really wanted me to cry a river at the unfairness and outrage with the way they were portraying this "story."

Too many minutes devoted to the profoundly disappointed parent-chaperones, who blamed everybody but themselves, interestingly.

Not one outraged parents admitted that they should've left much, much earlier to be on the safe side. Like for example, if that same person had 25 $2,000, non-refundable tickets leaving from Dulles to Sinagpore -- plan like THAT is your destination, and the kiddies would've been there on time I bet.

[Anonymous]

who cares?

[Anonymous]

Bad traffic is a fact of life on I-95. Have to plan for the worst possible accident, even a truckload of gunpowder overturning on the beltway (which happened one year). Too bad they missed it but sounds like they'll get another shot.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think this tour is not appropriate for the age anyway. I went in Jr.High and remember I found it boring. I can't believe it would really hold the interest of 5 year olds for a long time. I don't think they were snubbed. Its no secret that there is traffic in DC.

My son's preschool actually went there last week and they were able to appreciate it. My son has a brochure from the tour and can identify each room that he visited. He was very excited about the visit. So, I don't think these children were too young. I feel sorry for the kids, but clearly the adults should have done a better job managing the clock.

[Anonymous]

Get over it!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

They live in Stafford. They know exactly what the morning commute is like up 95. This one's on the parents.

Now if you want a scandal with the Steelers, it's that Lynn Swann is a Republican. Why, Lord, why?!??

[Anonymous]

Okay-I know Lynn Swann and he is a great guy and good for him that he is a Republican when there is so much pressure from the African American community to be a Democrat but this has nothing to do with this story. This is a pr nightmare that a President shouldn't have to deal with..I don't care what party. My guess is that if President or Mrs. Obama realized these kids were turned away they would have done something as would President Bush and Mrs. Bush. I bet some fairly low level person who really shouldn't have their job made this call not realizing that on top of just being mean, this would create problems that the President doesn't need to deal with. Pr 101 would indicate that if you turn away five year olds who traveled hours for a tour and who may have their own handlers who don't understand the traffic patterns around here..it just wouldn't look good. Also think if the Steelers were aware that kids were turned away because they were having a visit, they would have declined a visit--those guys are not dumb and do have handlers that see the problem with this prwise and of course morally.

I hope this is rescheduled because meeting a President is something one remembers forever and it's important.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the White House should have figured out some way to cope with this but surely you're not suggesting that now it's the government's fault this all happened and that the individual trip planners bear no responsibility for screwing this up?

I used to live in Fredericksburg. People who live down that way know perfectly well what traffic is like because the majority of them commute to DC to work.

Whatever happened to people taking responsibility for their own lives? There are a few posters on DCUM who harp constantly on that theme and demonize government aid. Hope you haven't been one of them, pp.

[Anonymous]

Not to mention that Stafford is not hours away. Let's not get carried away here. I traveled into DC from Woodbridge for a long time. The bus shouldn't have hit any traffic in the HOV lanes. I didn't once the whole time I lived there.

[Anonymous]

Demonize what??? I would blame a government or a business for a bad decision and turning away little kids is a bad decision for the reasons stated above. Did you ever hear the saying "win a battle but lose a war" or even when you are right you are wrong. This would apply here because the net result is that it makes the President and collaterally the Steelers look bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Demonize what??? I would blame a government or a business for a bad decision and turning away little kids is a bad decision for the reasons stated above. Did you ever hear the saying "win a battle but lose a war" or even when you are right you are wrong. This would apply here because the net result is that it makes the President and collaterally the Steelers look bad.

Oh I completely agree -- but I was just struck by the contrast to some of the other posts I see about this issue. Sorry -- I have no reason to believe you're the one writing them.

[Anonymous]

I hate Obama but this is really a non-story. And, I love Lynn Swan.