Homeowners want school to fix parent pick-up problem

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- Parents of some Diplomat Middle School students are trying to avoid the long afternoon pick-up line by parking in a nearby neighborhood. Nearby residents say it’s a nuisance, however, and their neighborhood is being trashed.

They say it’s been going on for about two years now and nothing’s being done to stop it.

John Majewski says picking up trash in his neighborhood is a weekly routine.

“In the fields over here you’ll find cigarette butts, candy wrappers,” said Majewski.

He lives on Northeast 16th Terrace, a block away from Diplomat Middle School. Majewski says the trash is left by students and their parents who use his neighborhood as a pick up spot every afternoon in order to avoid the long line at school.

“Right around that time it looks like a parking lot.”

About 10 cars were parked in different areas surrounding Majewski’s house Monday afternoon.
majewski says they haven’t always stuck to the lots.

“Last year I had a woman park in my yard, when I told her to leave she flipped me off and did a burn out in my yard leaving tire marks in the grass,”

Another neighbor tells WINK News parents have parked in her driveway before.

Majewski says he and another neighbor asked the school to do something about it but got nowhere.

A school district spokeswoman told WINK News that:

“The school cannot control the actions of a small number of adults that are choosing to make parent pick up more convenient for themselves by not following the designated parent pick up protocol… “

“Everybody keeps saying the same thing, ‘there’s nothing we can do, it’s not our issue.’ I find that very hard to believe,” said Majewski. “I think that the school needs to find out who these parents are, what kids are doing this, and talk to ’em, get it fixed.”

The school district tells WINK News it’s a law enforcement issue.

Cape Coral police say as long as the parents are parked in the right-of-way, they aren’t breaking any laws.

Majewski says he may seek legal action.