Oprah: My School is Safe, Not Strict

76. Connie ...... with people like you who post comments that like - it just ensures that racism and hate will continue. Why not try read the article which is about the parents of the children who are the ones complaining and since almost all of the kids in the school are not white I will let you do the math. So your comment( which I have listed below) really just reflects on your person views on the white population of South Africa and the fact you cant even read.

Posted at 6:50PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Kim

77. it would be almost impossible to describe the revulsion i am feeling for the idea being put forth here that ophrah's motive for opening a school for girls was so she could sexually abuse them!!!!! what on God's green earth is going through these peoples minds? the fact that squalid sexual motives are being attributed to this effort is nothing short of blasphamy. I am an American, middle class, white christian woman. i have many areas of disagreement with oprah's politics and some questions about her lifestyle. that in no way impacts the fact, in my mind, that she has taken a step that will impact our entire world for the good. did you get that? THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!! God has never required his leaders to be totally above reproach, just that they be people with a heart for his children of every age. it was very clear during the special during which the school was introduced that her heart is with those girls and she has great aspirations for them.. and great confidence in their abilities to change the world they come from.

Posted at 7:19PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Debby Cook

78. These girls, whose parents have to spend 30 minutes attempting to get in this compound after their struggling to just get there in order to visit THEIR DAUGHTERS - NOT OPRAH WINFREY'S - are victims of what is known as "the Stockholm Syndrome." Google it and you wil understand for youselves!
Oprah claims to be a victim of sexual abuse. She has IMO GROSSLY EXAGGERATED her humble beginnings for her own benefit (some would call her a BIG FAT LIAR). She allegedly became pregnant as a teenager and gave birth to a baby boy who DID NOT SURVIVE to see even HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY in her care!!!
You Oprah fans really need to do some research about this pathetic HomoSapien that you so blindly worship at her altar and pray for the innocent victims entrapped in the temple she has built for herself and EVEN NAMED AFTER HERSELF!!!

Posted at 7:22PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Yetta

79. JOHN SAMUELS has confirmed in the above-referenced article highlighted in blue (be sure to click on the blue and read it) that these girls ARE NOW BEING ALLOWED ONLY ONE VISIT PER MONTH with their parents. Sure sounds like these girls who are calling their parents in tears as the article states are being PUNISHED for any negative utterances that have come out of their mouths. Mr. Samuels is the head of the school. Since Oprah has made such a big deal out of this being a girls school, WHY IS A MAN in charge of this so-called "academy?" This institution has only been open for a little over two months and reports of this kind are coming out. THE HONEYMOON IS OVER!!!!!!!

Posted at 7:54PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Gertrude

80. Most of you on this board are idiots. You can't spell; you can't think logically; you are ill-educated because you come out of government-run schools where the teachers' unions run the show. You have been dumbed down to the point where you can't even recognize when something good and generous is being done for children who have virtually nothing. Did you see the tin shacks these girls came from? So what if they can't eat junk food. That means they won't be like these giant, fat kids of today that didn't exist a generation ago. You are so used to everything being given to you that you can't understand a person who gives. I know that Oprah's background was very poor because I am from her state, and she should be applauded for making it so far on her own. Instead, you worship a bunch of fire-crotching airheads with trust funds who give nothing to anyone. Get over yourselves.

Posted at 8:28PM on Mar 13th 2007 by catatonic

81. OY VEY- I hope she didn't order two-way mirrors or PEEP HOLES for this so-called "school."
Do these girls wipe their "pooty" as Oprah and Gail refer to their fecal matter (as was reported right here at TMZ) from their African asses with silk toilet paper while Oprah, Gail and Mr. Samuels SPY on them!! Oprah's lame excuses for wanting this age group are pathetic. She should have started with a kindergarten! Any fool would know that! Oh she wants them to feel special all right. Seducing them and then holding them captive while she flys away with Gail in her private jet stuffing their UGLY FACES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 9:22PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Yetta

82. Yetta, you are an evil, nasty human. Even people like me who are not fans of Oprah, who do not even watch her show, are probably offended by your vitriol. Something is wrong with you. Someone has hurt you badly in your past, and I hope you get help.

Posted at 9:26PM on Mar 13th 2007 by catatonic

83. ICKY OPRAH has eaten, by herself, enough JUNK FOOD plus regular food to feed an entire African country! No wonder the SWINE has to have constant personal trainers and chefs. She is a vile pig. SHE should be attending SCHOOL rather than these girls. She needs to learn basic table manners for starters. I've heard one reason among many that she is on the DROP LIST is because of the disgusting way she eats!

Posted at 9:26PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Rachel

84. I heard that too! People at parties find Oprah so revolting they just cannot bear to be in the same room with her (and I've heard she has terrible B.O. and BAD BREATH). SHE STINKS!

Posted at 9:40PM on Mar 13th 2007 by Lenore

85. WHY HAVE A MAN OVER A BOARDING SCHOOL THAT YOU SO WANTED TOO BE ALL GIRL THEN HAVE ALL WOMEN THERE IN CHARGED O

Posted at 10:09PM on Mar 13th 2007 by kay

86. What I'm saying is that $40 million dollars could educate A LOT of children, not just a select few. Also, there are children in extreme poverty in the US, in desperate situations. Why can't these super rich people do something about it? The US is the richest nation on earth, there shouldn't be anyone living below the poverty line and I am not just talking about homeless people. There are trailer parks and shacks full of desperately poor, illiterate people. Why do these stupid celebrities only care about Africa???? Charity begins at home. The problems in Africa are complicated and cannot be easily solved by money as Bob Geldof found out. Twenty years after the 1985 Live Aid, he was shocked to find the situation was still the same after billions had been poured into the country.

Posted at 3:00AM on Mar 14th 2007 by Get Koward $tern!

87. Oprah stopped giving to US children because she thought they were ungreatful and it it wasn't helping them. Now she may realize that the African kids are ungreatful too. Give someone something for free and they don't appreciate it. You have to work for it to appreciate it. Oprah is trying to do a good thing and trying to do the best for the girls. Oh yeah, and African parents (like American parents) do not know how to let the kids take responsibility for themselves.

Posted at 12:50AM on Mar 14th 2007 by paige

88. I hope this school get investigated and Mr. John Samuels investigated; why are they resticting the parents to once a month visits and requiring they be made two weeks in advance. What is being covered up at this school and what are they hiding? Just try pulling something like that at most schools in the U.S.A. where parents have THE RIGHT to go on campus AT ANY TIME!!!

Posted at 2:13AM on Mar 14th 2007 by Caroline

89. Sounds like a concentration camp!

Posted at 2:53AM on Mar 14th 2007 by Yetta

90. I (funnily enough, as a white South African *shock horror*) agree with the school regulations as they serve to protect the children. Recent studies in the UK have also shown that children fed a diet of junk food are more disruptive in class and have a significantly lowered ability to focus and concentrate. So long as the children are being properly fed in the school (which I believe they are) then there really is no reason to complain.

As to arranging visits in advance, that is an excellent measure to protect the students further (should they have persistent boyfriends - not uncommon, pushy parents or disruptive siblings).

As regards limiting use of internet and mobile phones, I think that is great. It takes away what is fast becoming a very big distraction in western schools and also limits the chances of the students hooking up with undesirables (again, looking at the UK, Irish model this happens with shocking regularity). It seems they do have controlled access at weekends which is good and I assume they are free to write letters (even better as the art of letter writing is all but extinct).

Posted at 4:29AM on Mar 14th 2007 by Robert