In August 2014, a referendum was inserted into the township meeting's agenda to change the name of the Kennedy High School building to the "Barack Obama Center".

Graduates and longtime residents turned up in impressive numbers to protest the change at a special meeting of township council on 2 September.

At the meeting, two council members admitted they "didn't know the history" behind the choice of Kennedy's name for the school (Kennedy had campaigned in then-new Willingboro in 1960) and mayor Eddie Campbell willingly conceded that the late addition to the referendum deserved to be dropped.

[8] Both Councilman's personal opinions were found to not be representative of their constituents or the alumni of the school bearing President Kennedy's name.

After much public outcry in the form of petitions, news coverage, and negative comments on social media, the referendum was pulled.