- Prestigious Sydney high school canceled star’s speech
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Parents of children attending Sydney Grammar School have found a way around the school’s ban on former Socceroos captain Craig Foster lecturing to students.
Foster was due to give a guest lecture to Sydney Grammar students, but the $45,000-a-year institution decided to jail the football great turned human rights activist.
It is not clear exactly why it was canceled, but there is speculation that the move was motivated by Foster’s strident criticism of Israel and his recent snub of an invitation to meet with King Charles.
“We are keenly aware that our Ithaka Lecture Series must also recognize and be respectful of the impact it can have on the well-being of our community members,” Principal Richard Malpass said in an email to parents.
“We believe it is not in the best interest of our community at this time for the conference scheduled for October 23 to take place.”
But it looks like grammar students will be able to hear Foster after parents set up a room at the State Library for the lecture.
“In light of the cancellation of last week’s Sydney Grammar Conference, which was full, parents of children, especially mothers, asked me to still take the time to speak to their children,” Foster announced on social networks.
The event has proven to be very popular, with organizers having to double the space’s capacity and now offering a livestream option to those unable to attend in person.
Craig Foster was recently prevented from giving a lecture to students at Sydney Grammar School.
Parents of Sydney Grammar students (pictured) arranged another venue for Foster to give his talk to their children.
Foster made headlines in May when he resigned as co-chairman of ARM along with Australian Olympic great Nova Peris.
Ms Peris said her decision to resign was due to her belief that Mr Foster’s decision to write to Football Australia, the International Federation of Football Association and the West Asian Football Federation asking them to suspend Israel from an upcoming FIFA conference “had created division.” ‘.
The former Socceroos star posted his letter online, explaining that the International Court of Justice had deemed Israel’s actions a “plausible genocide”.
“All members of the football community and its governing body, Football Australia, have a duty to do everything possible to stop genocide wherever and whenever it occurs,” he said.
But Peris said his comments had created division not only within ARM but also across the country.
Foster has made headlines for his strident criticism of Israel and his recent snub of an invitation to meet with King Charles III.
Forster also caused a sensation in early October for the way he turned down the opportunity to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla on their tour of Australia.
The former co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement recently received an invitation from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and his wife Anna to attend a function where he would be “in the presence” of the royal couple, who will begin their trip to Australia on October 18. .
Foster took to X to respond: ‘Thank you Anna and @ChrisMinnsMP. But no thanks. I look forward to being “in the presence of” our first Australian Head of State. When we put on our big pants, as a country.’