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Oprah: My School is Safe, Not Strict

Posted Mar 12th 2007 6:05PM by TMZ Staff

Oprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey is denying allegations that her new school in South Africa, Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls, is too strict with its students.

A statement from The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation says, "Our goal is to protect the health, welfare and well-being of the students at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy. As with other boarding schools, we provide a structured, safe and nurturing environment in which the girls can learn and develop."

News24 in South Africa reported yesterday that cell phones and email are not allowed during the week, parental visits need to be approved by the school at least two weeks in advance, and the maximum number of visitors per pupil is four.


Parents are not allowed to bring junk food items for their children, News24 said, but the Foundation told us that food items are discouraged but not prohibited. The Foundation went on to say that the students are allowed to have treats and that family members are encouraged to bring books, journals or educational materials to their girls when they visit.

News24 also reported that a satellite meeting between Oprah and the parents was abruptly canceled last week. The Foundation says no teleconference or in-person meeting with the parents and guardians was scheduled for last week.

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61. I find it funny that it is a big deal that no junk food is allowed. In the special they were carrying buckets of water and no food in the fridge. So with the extra money they are now buying junk food for their kids that are living in an amazing boarding school? wtf? I think kids need structure and this should be implemented in more places. No e-mail? Most of these girls barely had access before. We should be aplauding Oprah not talking about how strict she is.

Posted at 12:42PM on Mar 13th 2007 by shattered jewel

62. In order to get this kind of education and environment in the US you have to pay upwards to 30K a year in a private school. A good private pre-K in NYC costs 25K. She has given these people a gift. Period. Yes she is wealthy beyond anyones wildest comprehension, but she GAVE this to these people and has every right to run it as a good private institution. All institutions have rules. Every place you work, live has them. This is what is wrong with the US today. Noone thinks the rules apply to them or their children , This horrible sense of entitlement was what I believe Oprah was addressing when she decided to fund overseas. She wanted to help people who wanted the help. Listen, its human nature some of this stuff,; fo kids to want to play instead of work. She is keeping them on track so they can have a better life and become LEADERS and help the people of their own country. These girls will grow into women who will lead and influence the others. The school is their for guidance and structure. That is what institutions are for. This isnt about Oprah's ego... all in all these girls are seeds for the future. She is planting hope in a place where there is little opportunity. Many of you do not see the opportunities that are all around us. They do not have the same luxuries and amenities that we have. If only 1% of these girls make a difference over there, it will be a better place. 40 million isnt that much money. If pre-K costs 25K in 2007 what's college going to be in 13 years? Do the math..she spent the amount of money that it would take to educate the girls in a private school in America. Anyhow, there are many other things to criticise Oprah about..but this my friends isnt one of them. This is a loving, open hearted, generous gesture. God Bless these girls and the school.

Posted at 12:38PM on Mar 13th 2007 by patty cake

63. Some of you people need to do your research. Oprah gives and continues to give millions of dollars to the US school system each year. So she built a school in Africa, BIG DEAL. This is a great opportunity for the girls, strict or not. I think some of you will have no problem if it were white children. Get off of Oprah's back she is changing the world, what have you done lately other than complain.

Posted at 4:30PM on Mar 14th 2007 by lency

64. Instead of Oprah building such an extravagant school for a select few, she should have built more functioning schools to educate as many as possible. You don't need a spa and a salon to learn. The cost of them alone I'm sure could have gone toward many more having the opportunity for an education. Oprah said she wants the girls to feel special. I believe just having the opportunity to an education will make theese girls feel special. So many more than the select few need to be educated.

Posted at 1:46PM on Mar 13th 2007 by lolly

65. It is only natural for folks to be homesick - both parents and children. I'm not sure that I support the only 4 visitors - if your immediate family is 6 - then someone can't come and since it is only a monthly visit - I think that everyone should be able to come. Other than that and maybe the unhealthy food thing (they should have a treat once in a while), I really don't see the issue. Yes, the parents and children are probably complaining, but they've been separated for only a little while. They will adjust....

Boarding school kids have much more freedom - if you've never been, you probably should not speak to it.

And yes MAYBE she could have done it here. but we have schools - the Africans in Africa have been repressed for hundreds of years by Colonialism, Apartheid and are newly freed and are still being victimized by unscrupulous leaders, natural catastrophes - (famine, locusts, etc )- they certainly need more help than we do !!! Our WORST schools are better than what they have on average! And even if she attempted to build a school here - many of you who are doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP KIDS IN THE US would have a WHOLE LOT of NOTHING to say!

Posted at 1:06PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Tboone

66. Miss SA #40 I don't know if you are really from South Africa, but I agree with you. My best friend is from Capetown, SA, and she is very well-educated, maybe because she is "Colored." I too believe that Oprah is trying to do something good for people who may never have any kind of chance in life. Just giving the children the glimpse of a better life may encourage them in ways we can't imagine. The negative remarks on this board are shocking. I've heard that no good deed goes unpunished, but this is ridiculous. It's her money; at least give it a chance to work. People who find fault with this are really kind of sick.

Posted at 1:35PM on Mar 13th 2007 by catatonic

67. To #13, maybe you should go to this school and learn to use proper English and spell correctly. What do you care what she does with her money. It's hers to do with what she wants and giving those poor children something they wouldn't have is a GOOD thing. If they have cell phones, so what. Is it your business? Like I said, go back to school yourself. In this country it is almost free so SHUT UP. nd

Posted at 1:51PM on Mar 13th 2007 by nd

68. I can't believe that people have the nerve to bitch about her and what she's doing.

To all the folks offended about it for whatever reason, think about this: Why the hell does it matter if she decided to open up a school in AFRICA with a bunch of BLACK girls? SHE IS STILL HELPING CHILDREN! Plus with HER OWN MONEY I might add! There is nothing, no matter what the circumstances were surrounding Oprah's decision to do what she did, abosutely NOTHING wrong with reaching out to help children, no matter where they live, what ethnicity they are, etc. I don't think less-fortunate kids in Africa are any more or less deserving to get help than less-fortunate kids in America or anywhere else. I see no difference whatsoever because there are still young lives being improved on and receiving a head-start in life. That's what every single child in the world deserves, period!

Posted at 2:24PM on Mar 13th 2007 by B.

69. Oy Vey I hate to think of the questions Oprah asked these girls in her private interviews! No wonder so few could pass her test. And to think, Oprah is not even a school teacher and never has been one!

Cling along Gail King was on t.v. the other day talking about Oprah's private jet she bought for the two of them. No mention of Stedman, either!!

I thought TMZ reported recently that Oprah was buying ANOTHER FANCY APARTMENT for HERSELF AND STEDMAN in Chicago and that they were living together in it???

Yes - IMO there is something very wrong with this picture!!! Why is Oprah trying so hard to make people think she and Stedman are together when everyone knows they are not. Why was she TERRIFIED a while ago when that man was going to disclose the information on Oprah that he got from one of her employees???

Posted at 3:51PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Yiddish Yetta

70. Haris Pilton #61 You are so right. Oprah probably performed physicals on these poor victims and inspected them herself with Gayle assisting. Have you ever seen one of her shows on bra fitting? My God, she has her HANDS ALL OVER THE WOMEN! I am really surprised she has not been sued by one of these guests or one of her employees for sexual harrassment!
If I had a daughter in that "school" she would be REMOVED IMMEDIATELY!!!

Posted at 5:51PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Tina

71. #69B - OPEN YOUR EYES! THINK! Oprah purposely picked this isolated location for her "Academy" so she can get away with what she is doing without anybody finding out!!!
She is using the typical technique of ISOLATION TO CONTROL the victims!

Posted at 6:06PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Tina

72. i can't believe people are criticizing oprah for this wonderful thing she is doing. people will say anything to try to knock a good person down. it makes me sick.

way to go, o!!

Posted at 6:56PM on Mar 14th 2007 by Bean1217

73. Man, you're right! That's why she didn't start a school in the U.S.A. She knew she would not be allowed to get away with the possible child abuse going on in this "Academy" and did not want to meet the requirements that would be DEMANDED in our country! How very convenient for her to blame "ungrateful American kids who only want IPODS." Oprah, the SUPREME MATERIALISTIC HYPOCRITE did not IMO want to comply with the regulations and inspections that would be required if she had started a school in North America.

Posted at 6:28PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Tiger

74. Children who are deprived of the love and affection from their families and friends often develope socio-pathic minds who are incapable of loving and have no conscience. Some even become serial killers. Why must these children choose between "an education" and having loved ones around them? This sounds cultish...

Also, will Oprah be teaching the absurd theory of "a perfect life", which is judged by your net worth? I am so sick of her lecturing the US on how we have to get our act together while she coddles Africa. She is very selective on who she is "generous" with. Charity starts at home... She earns all of her money from here in the US yet she snubbs those who are struggling in her own back yard. To make a statement that all american children want is IPODs is a biggot minded stereotype.

I don't think she is at all generous at all. She is all about the money... Her narcisism... Her mansions... How no man is rich enough for her to marry.. and how we have to solve our own problems which she aptly points out to lecture us on.

She preaches that all you have to do is follow your dreams and work hard. That is a bunch of bologney. Becomming an Oprah is like hitting the lotto. She acts like people in the US deserve to be poor if they are. She should learn to be compassionate. She should learn about modesty too. Naming her first school after herself is not generosity, it's a paid manufacture of a legacy. Give respect and you will get it Oprah.

Posted at 6:45PM on Mar 13th 2007 by ratta peters

75. To #6(Greg) yes we(Africans) do have cellphones and email. People like you show the world how ignorant Americans are. So go back to school and get educated. You piece of shite. And as for Oprah, God is going to bless her for all that she's doing.

Posted at 10:09AM on Mar 14th 2007 by carly

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