'I was shocked:' Wake County children left waiting two hours for bus

WAKE COUNTY, NC (WTVD) -- Parents are feeling annoyed after several Wake County middle school students were left waiting at the bus stop for two hours before being picked up.

"It's unacceptable on any level," said parent Beth Capeles. "These kids are sitting out there in the heat."

On Tuesday, children were left waiting at the intersection of Lindenberg Square and Song Sparrow Drive.

None of Capeles' children were waiting at the bus stop, which is right outside of her home.

She offered students water, snacks, and the chance to cool down inside her air-conditioned home as they waited.

Capeles reached out directly to Wake Forest Middle School to see what was going on. She said she was told by a staff member that bus transportation is a "luxury" and it's the parents' responsibility to get their kids to school.

"I was shocked. You know we pay tax dollars for these buses and this is a public school. They're supposed to get the kids to school in a safe manner. These kids were stranded out there," said Capeles.

The Wake County School District said the two-hour wait was a one-time issue related to a new substitute driver.

"The new driver was approximately 30 minutes behind schedule and missed some stops. A bus was sent to pick up students at the missed stops," said WCPSS spokesperson Lisa Luten.

The district said that addressing the issue about the employee would compound the problem.

The school said the staff member who spoke to Capeles was incorrect in her statement about buses being a luxury. It is the district's responsibility to provide transportation to students who qualify for transportation services.