When charter buses didn’t show up, Lexington 6th graders missed field trip

Edythe J. Hayes Middle School sixth graders didn’t get to go on their planned field trip Wednesday because they didn’t have enough charter buses show up to transport the students.

Principal Phillip Hyde told parents in a letter that there was an “unfortunate situation” regarding Wednesday’s district coordinated Inspire Curiosity field trip.

Due to a transportation issue, only three of the five charter buses ordered by the school district arrived Wednesday morning

“Unfortunately, the bus company was unable to provide additional transportation, which made it impossible for us to safely and equitably transport all of our sixth grade students,” Hyde said.

Hyde told families the school decided to cancel the trip instead of just sending a portion of students because they believed it was the “most fair and appropriate decision for all students.”

It wasn’t immediately clear where the field trip was taking place, but the event was listed on the school district’s online calendar. FCPS had an “Inspire Curiosity” event in April 2025 to allow students to “explore a wide range of industries and careers through hands-on interaction with local business professionals,” according to the district’s Facebook page.

Fayette County Public Schools spokesperson Miranda Scully said district officials are looking into the issue.

“Our staff and school leadership did everything possible to navigate a last-minute failure by an outside transportation vendor,” Scully said. “When the company failed to provide the requested buses, leaders were forced to make difficult decisions based on safety and logistics to ensure all students could return in time for afternoon dismissal. We deeply regret the disappointment this caused, as students and staff were looking forward to this experience.”

This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 5:44 PM.