The headmaster of Dulwich Prep School for Boys has called on parents to name and shame offenders after the mother of a student threw parking cones during a heated school-run argument.
The parent was seen hurling cones which had been placed by both the school and nearby residents to restrict cars and protect children, during a disagreement over parking this month.
John, 41, had placed signs by his mother’s house near the school on Morkyns Walk to stop parents blocking the driveway.
These were moved by an angry parent who, after school staff and other residents intervened, grew abusive, shouted about the amount she paid for the school, and threw the parking cones into nearby foliage.
John said: “I felt absolutely infuriated – it’s the entitlement.
“I spend a lot of money on my school as well and nobody blocks any driveways.
“I make sacrifices and don’t act like this.
“They seem like a different breed.”
After this incident the headmaster of Dulwich Prep London, Louise Davidson, sent an email to all parents telling them to stop violence and abuse and to name perpetrators.
She said: “We will not tolerate members of our community or staff being treated in this manner, nor do we wish to see any child injured outside our school.”
This is at least the third such email Davidson has sent to parents in the last two years.
Builder John and his wife, Simran, say that this is not an isolated occurrence.
Simran said she saw a parent yelling at a traffic warden this Thursday.
The couple argue that parents parking on driveways is both an inconvenience and a safety hazard.
Simran said: “When you come out you can’t see anything and there could be a bike or a car appearing from somewhere.
“It could be their kids who get injured.”
In March 2024, Davidson said: “I implore you to respect our wishes to keep your children safe and follow the Highway Code.”
Solve the School Run Dulwich community lead Tom Palmer said: “We’d like to see more action taken to provide sustainable travel choices for families.
“Dulwich Prep committed to running a new school bus to and from the East Dulwich direction in their latest travel plan and we’d love to see this materialise to give more convenient options for families and reduce car trips into the area.”
A spokesperson for Dulwich Roads, a community group who focus on road safety issues, said: “Our local police forces are almost entirely absent on tackling road danger and road traffic offences, leaving drivers to continue to create danger on our roads.”
The Metropolitan Police were approached for comment.
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