Parents react over Richmond County open house times

Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017

RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- It's open house for Richmond County. However, some parents had to take off work, or worse, miss open house entirely because it was during business hours.

Richmond County parent Kizzy Keith said it isn't good to have an open house during business hours.

"I just think it's a little inconsiderate for the parents, for the working parents, that do actually have to take off time," she said.

Kizzy, who is the parent of two kids in Richmond County, she had to take the whole day off.

"I found out like two weeks ago so yeah it was just frustrating to have to take the whole day off instead of having it in the evening, she said."

For other parents, though, it isn't a big deal. Deangela said she prefers to have an open house during business hours.

"I still had time to get off of work and come, I still had time to go run my errands, it was a wonderful time for them doing it at that time, she said.

The school system says it was a balancing act between pleasing parents and pleasing teachers.

Director of Communications of Richmond County Schools Kaden Jacobs said the decision was made from talking to both parties.

"We made that decision from talking to parents and teachers," he said. So you know the teachers wanted to be able to go to their kids' open houses. And they wanted to be able to get their rooms ready. Because that's important for the teachers for the first day of school."

It still isn't too late for parents. The school system said they will make it work.

"If you can't come to registration, please call the school, we'll make the teachers available to you, the administration, so that you can talk and feel like your kid is in a place that they need to be," Jacobs said.