Barack Obama news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Barack Obama Elementary in Richmond closed indefinitely after mold found on laptops and music equipment. Parents and staff await cleanup, with earliest reopening next week.
Background
Barack Obama Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia, was set to reopen for the 2026-27 school year when staff discovered mold on laptops and music equipment during classroom setup. Air quality tests initially came back negative, but visible mold prompted an indefinite closure. The district is using negative-ion scrubbers and conducting moisture checks, with Clark Springs Elementary prepared as an alternative site.
How it unfolded
- Aug 24, 2026Staff discovered mold on laptops and music equipment while setting up classrooms. RPS chief operations officer Patrick Herrel announced the closure and told people to leave the building.
- Aug 24, 2026RPS held a town hall where parents expressed frustration, and staff said they felt safe and preferred to wait to start the school year.
- Aug 25, 2026Superintendent Jason Kamras said the earliest reopening is next week, with cleanup efforts ongoing using negative-ion scrubbers and moisture checks. Clark Springs Elementary is being staged as a backup.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Superintendent Jason Kamras said the building will remain closed until it is safe, with the earliest reopening next week.
- Parents
- One parent said, 'We are already behind Barack Obama with the resources that are available, and now you’re suggesting, Well, we’ll just open up, we’ll just clean it. You know, there’s mold outside.'
- Staff
- Many staff present at the town hall said they generally felt safe at Obama E.S. and would rather wait to start the school year.
Still unverified
Air quality tests initially came back negative for mold before visible mold was found, but the discrepancy is not fully explained.