Chaos Over Registration Process

Some Clayton County parents had to wait for hours Tuesday morning to register their children for the new school year -- which starts today.

[Anna]

"waiting to the last minute" -- who wrote this? You need to go back to school! It's waiting UNTIL the last minute. Doesn't 11Alive have Word? This error would be caught by Grammar Check.

[True Facts]

Yeh. That is Clayton County for you! What's the excuse? Did the other counties have this problem? It wasn't in the papers.

[Joe]

Why did these parents wait until the first day of school to register their kids? It's not like they didn't know when school started! Don't blame the schools and/or county for your laziness!

[Howard]

I am new to Clayton County and I found the process to be fairly easy. I utilized the internet; and called the Board and found out how the counties registation process was handled. The enrollment center was open during the summer and half days on Saturday. I applaud the them for attempting to make the transition easier. We are transferring from Dekalb and it was much less hectic.

[Experience]

I personally waited in the line on yesterday and was even there when the fire marshall came and required that individuals move to another facility. It was ridiculous. The enrollment center was under-staffed, under-prepared, and more so than anything unprofessional! Our experience concluded at about 8pm when parents were asked to leave their registration information and just take their children to schools. They stated that they would contact the parents within two weeks to inform them if information was missing from the registration packet....of course, when the children were dropped off to the schools, on site personnel stated that they were not prepared to accomodate these students.

[Ms Gee]

Just like Clayton County...always behind the eight ball and never equipped for anything.

[Mike]

Isn't it nice that folks in our nothern counties have nothing better to do than comment on what someone else is doing. Last I checked the actions by these people and no effect on the complainers. You want something to comment on, talk about those 4 soldiers killed yesterday in Iraq.

[H and H]

Hey guys,

lests take some ownership in this!!!! Unless your child enrolling in school for the first time ever or you moved two days ago, there is no excuse for waiting until the last minute to find out when, where and how to get your child registration. Face it, procrastination leads to aggravation!!!!!!!!!!

[Airnos]

Experience wrote:

It was ridiculous. The enrollment center was under-staffed, under-prepared, and more so than anything unprofessional!

If you had taken advantage of the other registration options that were available for WEEKS before the start of school, you wouldn't have had to go through this. You also might not be teaching your children that it's okay to procrastinate.

[Sara]

How retarded do you have to be to wait until the day before to try to register your child? You had all summer to do this. "You can't fix stupid." For that, the stupid can stand outside on a day like this for being that dumb. Geez...how do you people not fall down more!?

[Killroy]

Mike wrote:

Isn't it nice that folks in our nothern counties have nothing better to do than comment on what someone else is doing. Last I checked the actions by these people and no effect on the complainers. You want something to comment on, talk about those 4 soldiers killed yesterday in Iraq.

Hey Mike, don't you have anything better to do than complain about the complainers?

[JJT]

If I were the Clayton County school board I wouldn't have changed a thing. Sometimes people learn through bad experiences. Don't want to stand outdoors in 100 degree heat for 8 hours to register your kid at the last minute? Hm...how to avoid that next year...hmmmm.

Sorry, hard to find sympathy for dumbasses like that. If these "parents" gave a flying rat turd about their kids' education they'd have handled it at something other than the last minute.

Way to go careless, uncaring parents! Blame someone else for your mistakes!

[Living In Clayton]

I agree with H & H. The mere fact of some of you parents showing up late clearly shows what Clayton is made up of..not the county it self. Sure it has its problems but we, the ones who live there, make it what it is.....just like people always pointing the finger..You guys are TOTALLY missing the mark here!

[lastinga]

H and H wrote:

Hey guys,
lests take some ownership in this!!!! Unless your child enrolling in school for the first time ever or you moved two days ago, there is no excuse for waiting until the last minute to find out when, where and how to get your child registration. Face it, procrastination leads to aggravation!!!!!!!!!!

You read my mind..I made sure that my child was registered for Kindergarten the first day that registration began. These people just love to complain and moan about every thing that is wrong with the system, when the main problem is their own lazy a**es!

[CA White]

Granted more than one hundred parents waited until the last minute to register their children (as I was one of them) and my mistake HOWEVER, everything should have been organized. The telephone number should have a live person to give people information for registration. I made sure I had all my documents but that's because of being last minute I wanted to make sure I didn't get the run around. The officials of the central location should have advised the schools of their intentions as the administrative staff at my daughter's school was unaware of the change. I know I need to get better with time management and planning and the system needs to get back with organization because it is absolutely ridiculous. I learned a valuable lesson though...I will register my daughter on the last day of school believe that!

[AWH - Jonesboro]

I agree....there is NO reason to wait until the day before school starts to register your child unless you JUST moved to the area.....you reap what you sow.

[bejeweled2]

Experience wrote:

I personally waited in the line on yesterday and was even there when the fire marshall came and required that individuals move to another facility. It was ridiculous. The enrollment center was under-staffed, under-prepared, and more so than anything unprofessional! Our experience concluded at about 8pm when parents were asked to leave their registration information and just take their children to schools. They stated that they would contact the parents within two weeks to inform them if information was missing from the registration packet....of course, when the children were dropped off to the schools, on site personnel stated that they were not prepared to accomodate these students.

What reason did you have for waiting until then to register your child for school? There are only a few reasons to have not registered. I would venture to say that at least 90% of the people who were in line have no valid reason for not having taken care of this sooner. Parents alway blame the schools. Stand up and take responsibility for your own kids. That means registering them for school in a timely manner. Not waiting the last minute.

[DOUGLASVILLE RESIDENT]

You deserve to stand in 100 degree heat...don't wait until school starts to register your kids. It's your own fault.

[lastinga]

CA White wrote:

Granted more than one hundred parents waited until the last minute to register their children (as I was one of them) and my mistake HOWEVER, everything should have been organized. The telephone number should have a live person to give people information for registration. I made sure I had all my documents but that's because of being last minute I wanted to make sure I didn't get the run around. The officials of the central location should have advised the schools of their intentions as the administrative staff at my daughter's school was unaware of the change. I know I need to get better with time management and planning and the system needs to get back with organization because it is absolutely ridiculous. I learned a valuable lesson though...I will register my daughter on the last day of school believe that!

Actually, maybe YOU should have been more organized and registered a month ago! Don't blame your lack of planning skills on the schools!

[Rachel E]

Mike wrote:

Isn't it nice that folks in our nothern counties have nothing better to do than comment on what someone else is doing. Last I checked the actions by these people and no effect on the complainers. You want something to comment on, talk about those 4 soldiers killed yesterday in Iraq.

Where are your kind words and prayers on the comment boards for that story? Or what about the father who tried to strangle the man who admitted to killing his son? Have you nothing better to do then complain?