Obama Visit Forces Portsmouth Schools to Close

If the city's more than 2,600 students were eligible to vote in November, President Obama would probably garner widespread support from them. But the President may have lost a few parents' votes after his scheduled visit on Friday made Portsmouth School officials decide to keep the kids home.

Portsmouth Schools Superintendent Ed McDonough said the Secret Service and Portsmouth Police Department asked if school officials could have an early release day on Friday at 11 a.m. to accomodate President Obama's visit.

along with First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden the day after the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., ends. The Obama for America-NH campaign announced Monday that would be available at OFA-NH offices beginning on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

McDonough said school officials realized the school district's fleet of 13 buses could not transport all of the Portsmouth students home at the same time. He said the only way the school department could make an early release day happen for all of the city's schoolchildren would be if some were released at 10 a.m. and others followed at 11 a.m.

Instead, McDonough said school officials thought it would be best to give the students a day off and hold a teacher workshop day at the city's five schools.

"Parents are going to have to make some plans, unfortunately," McDonough said.

How do you feel about the Portsmouth School Department's decision to have all of the city's 2,600 schoolchildren stay home on Friday because of President Obama's visit?