A petition to block the permanent shutdown of a middle school had more than 130 signatures by last night.

The change.org petition warned the closure of Warwick’s TN Tatem Middle School, shut in April due to mould and other health and safety problems, would “kill decades of history” and damage the infrastructure of the area.

The “Freedom Fighters for Tatem” wrote on change.org: “At present the school is being utilised by various sports ventures. Please understand that the school is not in as bad of shape as the public has been made to believe.

“There are only about three rooms that need attention and that mould abatement has already occurred recently.”

It added: “The persons who are being affected by this closure are the staff, former students, parents/guardians, the Warwick community and businesses whom the students and teachers boost and our upcoming feeder schoolchildren and parents. Closing TN Tatem not only kills a legacy and decades of history, but it changes the entire infrastructure of the Warwick community.”

The Ministry of Education responded by asking people to respond to a consultation document before December 20.

A ministry spokeswoman said three consultation meetings took place in November.

She added: “It is extremely important to the Department and Ministry of Education that the views of students, parents, teachers, unions and boards of governors of aided schools are heard during this process.”

The spokeswoman said people who signed the petition should submit their opinions as part of the consultation process.

She added: “This is an opportunity for them to share their views, indicate how they would be affected and provide other information that they would like the Minister of Education to consider.”

The spokeswoman highlighted that staff and pupils had walked out of classes as a protest against conditions at the school.

She added that parents and teachers had expressed “grave concerns about the health of the learning environment” in a letter to the ministry.

Submissions to the consultation can be made online, by e-mail to educationconsultation@moed.bm or delivered by hand to the Ministry of Education headquarters at the West Building on Church Street, Hamilton.