King’s School headmaster sprays virtuous trolls after goanna death
The headmaster of an elite Sydney private school has slammed the media and “virtuous trolls” after a goanna was killed at a cadet camp.
The headmaster of a Sydney private school has hit back at “virtuous trolls” after shocking allegations students tortured and killed an animal while at a school camp.
The King’s School, in North Parramatta, has been at the centre of a public pile-on after it emerged students had “decided it would be funny” to kill a goanna on their annual cadet camp in March.
Headmaster Tony George spent the best part of this week defending the school’s reputation against the reports.
Now he has come out swinging with a lengthy 2500 word statement – including a suggested reading list – shared to the school’s website on Monday.
“Why are the tabloids and virtuous trolls so keen and excited to shame independent schools, especially those deemed ‘elite’?” Mr George writes.
“Why is it that some people want to delight in the failure of others, especially if they are seen to be elite or successful?
“Is it due to what some call Australia’s tall poppy syndrome? Or perhaps more cynically, is it simply what drives reader interest and, therefore, the economics of today’s tabloids – gossip, rumour and innuendo?”
Police are investigating the matter, but it is still not clear if the students were responsible for the goanna’s death.
Mr George said outrage surrounding the alleged incident was both “understandable and warranted”.
“Unfortunately, this year’s camp has been marred by an incident resulting in the death of a goanna,” he said.
“Not only are native animals protected by law, but animal cruelty is a heinous, inhumane act in all its forms.”
The latest statement was shared hours after Mr George appeared on 2GB radio to clear up the rumours surrounding the school.
“A goanna is dead; that’s certainly the case,” he told Sydney breakfast host Ben Fordham.
“As to how, and what was involved, we don’t actually know the details yet.”
Mr George said he was particularly saddened by the allegations after developing a love for wild animals during his childhood living in East Africa.
He said this was the first allegation of animal cruelty he’d had to address in more than 20 years of leading schools.
“The incident saddens me as I am again reminded of the challenging but necessary responsibility we have as a school to shape the character and integrity of our students,” he said in the statement.
The cadet camp, which the school has hosted for more than a century, was attended this year by 800 male students on a property owned by the Defence Force in the NSW Hunter Valley region.
The students allegedly responsible for the incident were removed from the camp, and the school is awaiting the results of the police investigation before any further “disciplinary action” is taken.