The NSW Department of Educationran a survey in January and February to discover community attitudes and held meetings with those who would be most affected,such as parents,students and representatives from surrounding schools.
Of more than 2220 community respondents,57 per cent strongly supported the idea,10 per cent were in favour,and 28 per cent were opposed. The rest were neutral.
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Parents and carers of girls made up more than half of the respondents,and two-thirds of them supported the idea.
But in making the final decision,the department said it weighed the survey results against the feedback from those who would be most affected,such as staff at surrounding schools and existing students of Randwick Boys'and Girls'.
Of the 192 female students who responded,70 per cent said they would not be interested in attending a co-ed Randwick Boys',and more than half of the 300 parents at Randwick Girls'who responded said they would not send their daughters there.
There was alsostrong opposition from staff at other schools in the eastern suburbs network,including Randwick Girls',JJ Cahill,Matraville and South Sydney high schools,who were concerned about the impact on enrolments.