Two Boston aldermen critical of the mayor’s program that limited free museum access to public school children chose not to proceed with their long-awaited hearing on the issue after their favorite guests from the Wu administration did not attend.

Councilors Erin Murphy, lead sponsor, and Ed Flynn, chose to reschedule a Monday morning hearing “to discuss extension of free museum passes exclusively for Boston Public Schools families” after the virtual session of the Education committee began, upon learning of the absences from the administration.

Given that Mayor Michelle Wu has already done so announced his plans to expand the program to all city schoolchildren next year — which Murphy and Flynn argued for — the hearing, according to a statement from Murphy, was supposed to focus on how the program would be funded going forward.

“This expansion is a significant step toward inclusion and equity for our city’s diverse families,” Murphy said in a statement. “While I appreciate the mayor’s commitment to expand the program beginning in January 2025, I want to emphasize the importance of a robust fiscal plan to support this initiative.”

“To ensure that this expansion is both feasible and sustainable, we invited Ashley Groffenberger, CFO of the City of Boston; James Williamson, director of the Office of Budget Management; and Stephen Chan, Senior Partnerships Counsel, to join us for the hearing. They will address key financial questions and help us understand the way forward.”

After Councilman Henry Santana, who chairs the Education Committee, noted that the committee had also invited Kara Elliot-Ortega, the city’s head of arts and culture, and representatives from the Boston Children’s Museum, Flynn asked if administration officials invited by Murphy, Groffenberger and Williamson, were on the call.

Informed that they were not from Santana, Flynn called for a short break to give them time to join, and Murphy brought up what she sees as the Wu administration’s tendency to bail hearings she invited them to. testify on issues pertaining to the Boston Public Schools.

“It’s a pattern that keeps happening,” Murphy said. “I appreciate the Children’s Museum for being here … but I think it’s important that we take a break and make sure that the administration that can answer the important questions that we have are here for this hearing, or they ask that we wrap up and reschedule. “

After a break, Santana confirmed the two finance chiefs were unable to attend the hearing and said the hearing would be rescheduled for a later date to accommodate the lead sponsors’ request for “senior staff” to attend.

No reason was given for their absence, although it was stated at a City Hall press conference that Groffenberger was scheduled to appear at later that day that she was unable to attend that press conference because she was busy with meetings.

“Chief Kara Elliot-Ortega was prepared to discuss financial support for the program at the canceled hearing,” a spokesman for Wu said in a statement.