Trip to Washington canceled

511 students were scheduled to travel to nation’s capital May 2-4

Mentor parents and school officials are still searching for answers after an educational trip for eighth-grade students to Washington, D.C., was abruptly canceled.

There were 511 students who each paid $455 to go on the trip, and they were supposed to leave the morning of May 2 and return the evening of May 4.

Instead, the students learned they would not be going on the trip after all.

Interim Mentor Schools Superintendent William Porter released a statement to parents after learning the news late May 1.

Porter said he received a call from Discovery Tours, the company the district contracted with for the trip, late that afternoon stating the tour company was forced to cancel the trip because they were unable to receive final confirmation for the students’ hotel rooms.

“We will continue to communicate updates with you as we investigate the true cause.” — Interim Mentor Schools Superintendent William Porter

“We immediately contacted the hotel to try to get more information,” Porter said. “We were told by hotel management that, under advice from the hotel’s legal counsel, all they could disclose to us is: Discovery Tours was unable to meet the contractual obligations. Discovery Tours tells us otherwise.

“Regardless, even if we were able to secure the hotel rooms directly through the hotel ourselves, we no longer have faith in Discovery Tours to trust them with our most precious cargo — our students — to feel comfortable to continue on this trip, especially with such little time before tomorrow morning.

“I am sure you are feeling angry as you read this, as all of us have been since we received the news late this afternoon. We know this is an educational experience students look forward to for years prior to eighth grade that is being taken from them for no apparent reason.”

Discovery Tours claimed in a statement that the blame lies with the Hyatt Regency Dulles Hotel, which they claimed would not honor its contract with Discovery Tours to provide rooms on those two nights.

“Discovery Tours believes that Hyatt’s behavior is unreasonable and inappropriate because it was paid 100 percent of the money that was invoiced by Hyatt for the Mentor Schools trip as of April 24, 2018. Hyatt then sent an amended bill demanding additional funds on April 27, which Discovery Tours paid by credit card on April 30. Hyatt then refused to accept that credit card payment and insisted that it was entitled to keep over $34,000 of Discovery Tour funds as liquidated damages. Discovery Tours is consulting with an attorney to determine whether litigation should be initiated to address this situation.”

Tracey Pool, the hotel’s general manager, had a different

version of events.

“Hyatt Regency Dulles is disappointed that Discovery Tours has been unable to provide sufficient payment owed under its contracts, despite the numerous options the hotel provided to Discovery Tours on several occasions over an extended period of time,” Pool said. “As a result, the hotel was forced to unfortunately cancel accommodations for Discovery Tours student groups booked at the hotel.

“The statements from Discovery Tours about this situation are not accurate. We understand and appreciate how important these kinds of learning experiences are to the students, parents and schools involved. To that end, we have been in touch with Mentor Public Schools directly to offer coordination of alternative arrangements that would allow the

students to visit our nation’s capital as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, middle school principals were expected to bring all eighthgraders together the morning of May 2 to discuss the situation and support them.

“Refunds for the trip are undoubtedly on everyone’s minds and at this time, we do not have full explanations yet, but I can assure you, we will work diligently to secure restitution,” Porter said. “To say I am incredibly disappointed is an understatement. We will continue to communicate updates with you as we investigate the true cause.”