More than 600 people signed a petition against creating a new �32 million academy school in Felixstowe.

FELIXSTOWE: More than 600 people signed a petition against creating a new �32 million academy school in Felixstowe.

Campaigners said many who put their name to the document were mums and dads, who had not been aware of the decisions made about the future of education in the town.

The petition is being run by Felixstowe Against an Academy School in the Town (FAAST) whose members also gave out 2,000 flyers and spoke to people about the county council decision.

“There was a fantastic response with huge support for the anti-academy stance,” said FAAST spokesman Pete Barnsley.

“Such a large response from so many different people shows the strength and breadth of the feeling against the county council decision.

“The overwhelming opinion was that they did not want a business delivering our children's education.

“They also were shocked at the lack of involvement with this unawareness proving in my opinion there was no real consultation involved in the process conducted.

“People knew about the new school building but not about the competition to run the school or the decision making process.

“For me such a large response against the academy also proves the county councillors who made the decision were not connected to the feeling in the town and made a decision against the views of a very significant proportion of the towns families and residents.”

FAAST is holding a public meeting tonight at 7.30pm at Deben High School.

Secretary of state for children, schools and families Ed Balls has been asked to approve a proposal from the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) to run the new school - due to open in 2013 - as an academy.

Should Felixstowe have an academy? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk