Last week around fifty headteachers wrote this letter to the Guardian attacking Conservative plans to allow parents, charities and others to set up new state-funded schools.
By way of response, nearly 650 parents from around the country have written to today's Guardian criticising those teachers, in a letter organised by the New Schools Network.
They write:
"We were disappointed to see that some head teachers do not wish our plans for new, excellent schools in our communities to succeed. Many of us cannot afford to move into the right catchment area to get to the best schools, or pay school fees - and as a result we are denied a good local school. Many of us live in areas where there is no local school at all - or where population growth means there shortly won't be enough places. We have support across our communities and are working with education organisations and teachers to create an inspiring school with the class sizes, the discipline, the curriculum and the ethos that our children deserve.
"We call on politicians of all parties to support our plans and change a school system that supports the wealthy and ignores the wishes and energy of parents."
The full list of signatories is online here.
