BROOK PARK, Ohio — Waiting in a long line to drop off or pick up your student is nothing new, but for Brook Park Elementary families, what is new is now getting a ticket while doing so on Holland Road.
Shannon DiDonato told me she's had a child enrolled in Brook Park Elementary since 2020, and in that time, she has never experienced any issues when it comes to arrival and dismissal.
On Tuesday, though, that changed.
"I'm really confused why the police are now ticketing us when they've actually directed us in that same line every Thursday for the past few years," DiDonato said.
DiDonato said she received a ticket that will cost her $5 or $10, according to what an officer told her.
"I was worried because I have a CDL, so I drive a truck and I don't get tickets, you know, so I was worried. I was like, oh my gosh, like what's going on? Is this gonna affect anything? He (Brook Park police officer) said no, but he just said, you know, you guys have your opinions, we have ours. I'm like, oh, OK, and that the orders came from the top down. I tried to call the mayor's office, and my husband actually got a hold of city hall yesterday, and she (city hall representative) said if we don't like it, our kids can walk," DiDonato told me over the phone Wednesday afternoon. "They had all summer to come up with a better solution. Why the first full week of school that it's all of a sudden an issue?"
DiDonato said what made her feel even more uneasy is that there was a car ahead of her in line that drove off while an officer was jotting down their license plate information.
"The people in front of me left to go get their kids, and he goes, 'Oh, I have to go talk to all those people that just left. They're gonna get another citation for fleeing,'" she said. "I'm like, 'They probably didn't know because you said you were taking down their plates.' He goes, 'Yeah, you can't leave until you get the ticket.'"
I received pictures of two other tickets that were written Tuesday afternoon.
The ticket claims the driver is in violation of city ordinance 351.03 (a) (14), and according to the city of Brook Park's website, it prohibits the parking of a vehicle where there is signage saying not to.
However, the only sign we saw warning people is down the street by the Brook Park Fire Department, which is where an officer sat Wednesday afternoon with a clear view of where families line up to pick up students.
I didn't see any Brook Park Elementary families get ticketed Wednesday afternoon.
Several parents say police were ticketing drivers Wednesday morning, though. DiDonato said she saw five officers handing out tickets.
She told me, "I think our tax money could be doing a lot better than targeting parents dropping their kids off. I thought we were a community that all worked together. I'm very disappointed and let down. I was proud to live here, but not now. They want you to loop around the block over and over, or go park across the street and walk.
I don't have time to park across the street and walk because I have to go to work right after I drop him off, and then I'm not gonna just drop him off to go walk."
"I don't see what the issue was. We all stay either by the curb or in one lane. Everyone can get through. Nothing's blocked," Brook Park Elementary pre-school program mom, Katie Bednar told me. "I hope it doesn't stick because there's no formal like communication about anything besides today. It's very frustrating."
Because of the situation, she said she arrived to the school Wednesday afternoon earlier than usual.
Taylor Holmes also arrived to the school 15 minutes prior to when the school says families can start lining up.
"I just don't understand because like what are you supposed to do with an elementary school ticket? Like if everyone's supposed to drive around in a circle, there's kids walking to school, that's not safe to me," Holmes said. "There needs to be a better option, better idea, and if you're getting upset about people sitting in the road, give me a better idea of what to do because every school does this. Ticketing all of us first thing in the morning, it's not necessary."
Holmes added, "They're (Brook Park police officers) sitting out there like cockroaches."
Not only do parents feel left in the dark, but the Berea City School District, which oversees Brook Park Elementary, seems to not be in the loop either on enforcement.
"The district was not notified in advance that this would be enforced today (Tuesday). We became aware of the citations during dismissal, and the principal has shared that our School Resource Officer, Matt Kimmich, is looking into the situation with the Brook Park Police Department to get clarification on what will be expected moving forward," Berea City School District Director of Marketing and Community Relations Cristina Capretta said.
I asked what Brook Park Elementary families should do in the meantime to steer clear of citations.
Capretta said, "The challenge is that we aren't in a position to tell parents what they should do to ensure they aren't ticketed, since traffic enforcement is outside of the district's authority."
I also reached out to Brook Park Police Chief Edward Powers Tuesday night. He redirected me to the mayor's office regarding the matter.
Since Tuesday night, I have emailed Mayor Edward Orcutt twice, texted him once, and even called him for answers, but as of this publication, I haven't heard back.
"I hope something comes out of this, because I know a lot of people are really upset and I think they made a really wrong decision," Holmes said.
Bednar said she'd like answers.
"Just an explanation. That's all," she told me.
Another ticketed Brook Park Elementary parent who reached out to me about the ordeal told me via social media: "Yesterday, I was issued a citation while waiting in the school pickup line because my vehicle was lined up along the street. What is particularly concerning is that other businesses in the immediate area regularly have lines extending into the street without citations being issued. The food pantry next to the school has a line that routinely extends into the street in much the same manner as the school pickup line, yet parents have never seen tickets being issued there. Dunkin’ on Snow Road also has vehicles lined up into the street on a daily basis. If the concern is truly traffic safety, parents understand that and want to cooperate. But there needs to be consistency and communication."
That parent went on to say, "The officer’s interaction with me also left a lot to be desired. Instead of explaining the change or providing a warning, I was simply told, 'Here’s your citation.' It felt unnecessarily dismissive, particularly when parents are simply trying to safely pick up their children. We are not asking for special treatment or permission to break the rules. We are asking for clear communication, reasonable enforcement, and a safe pickup process for everyone."
A different parent shared a message they received from the school Wednesday night. Read below.
Thank you for being patient and kind as we navigate dismissal and arrival with the enforcement by Brook Park Police Department and/or the Mayor.
We want to always keep the safety of our students as our first priority. If they are ticketing, please plan ahead.
Arrival- Please be sure you always pull your car up. The farther we pull up, the more cars are off Holland Road. Student must be ready to exit the car and parents should not be on their phones.
Dismissal- Pull your car all the way up. Practice your car number with your child. The quicker kids exit (ready and listening for their car number), the quicker the line moves.
If you have lost your car number— please write it on paper — when we can see it, it truly helps.
** also, please know it does go quicker- after six years we know it speeds up- give our little ones and new families some time. We got this! Remember to call the office if you ever have a change in dismissal plans.
BPE families are the BEST!
If I hear from the city regarding this issue, We'll Follow Through.
