- Prestigious Sydney Grammar School has canceled speech by star
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Parents of children attending Sydney Grammar School have found a way around the institution’s ban on former Socceroos captain Craig Foster from giving a lecture to students.
Foster was supposed to give a guest lecture to students at Sydney Grammar, but the $45,000-a-year institute decided to let the football great become a human rights activist.
Exactly why he was canceled is not clear, but there is speculation that the move was prompted by Foster’s fierce criticism of Israel and his recent rejection of an invitation to meet King Charles.
“We are acutely aware that our Ithaka lecture series must also recognize and respect the impact it can have on the well-being of members of our community,” director Richard Malpass said in an email to parents.
“We believe that it is not in the best interests of our community at this time for the lecture scheduled for October 23 to proceed.”
But it appears grammar students will hear from Foster after parents organized a room at the State Library for the lecture.
“In light of the cancellation of last week’s Sydney Grammar lecture, which was at capacity, parents of the boys, especially mothers, asked if I would still take the time to speak to their sons,” Foster announced on social media.
The event has proven very popular, with organizers having to double the capacity of the venue and now offering a livestream option for those who cannot attend in person.
Craig Foster was recently banned from giving a lecture to students at Sydney Grammar School
Parents of students at Sydney Grammar (pictured) organized another venue for Foster to deliver his speech to their sons
Foster made headlines in May when he resigned as ARM co-chair along with Australian Olympic Games major winner 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 Association Football and the West Asian Football Federation asking for Israel to be suspended from a upcoming FIFA conference had ‘created division’. ‘.
The former Socceroos star published his letter online, explaining that the International Court of Justice had deemed Israel’s actions to be ‘plausible genocide’.
“Every member of the football community and your governing body, Football Australia, has a duty of care to do everything possible to stop genocide wherever and whenever it occurs,” he said.
But Ms Peris said his comments had caused division not only within ARM but also across the country.
Foster has made headlines for his sharp criticism of Israel and his recent rejection of an invitation to meet King Charles III
Forster also made waves earlier in October for the way he turned down a chance to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla during their tour of Australia.
The former co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement recently received an invitation from NSW Premier Chris Minns and his wife Anna to attend a meeting where he would be ‘in the presence’ of the royal couple, who will begin their trip on October 18 ‘down under’ begins. .
Foster responded to X: “Thanks Anna and @ChrisMinnsMP. But no thanks. I look forward to being ‘in the presence’ of our first Australian Head of State. If we, as a country, put on our big pants.’