Oprah: My School is Safe, Not Strict

91. to number 66

yes, i am south african. i live in durban but have friends all over south africa. the negative comments are from stupid and arrogant people who have probably never even left their home town and think the universe revolves around america.

i DARE any one of them to come here and see for themselves!

Posted at 4:53AM on Mar 14th 2007 by miss sa

92. poor children in this country need education!

where is her school here? the richest bitch in america has to open a school in her homeland!

it is not fair to the poor children here.

Posted at 9:16AM on Mar 14th 2007 by grapeape73

93. I AM A BLACK AMERICAN, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED OF SOME BLACKS, TO ESTABLISH THIS CONNECTION TO AFRICA. LET'S HELP THE BLACK AMERICAN CHILDREN. AFRICA HAS A LOT OF SELF MADE PROBLEMS. WAR & AIDS, BOTH OF WHICH CAN BE SOLVED BY THEMSELVES. AND THEIR LEADERS IF THEY REALLY CARED. I AM CONCERNED WITH MY AMERICAN YOUTH. THEY HAVE NO DIRECTION, AND SOMEONE LIKE OPRAH, COULD HELP THEM . BUT SHE CHOOSES TO GO TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. OPRAH, YOU MADE YOUR BILLION HERE, WHAT ABOUT HELPING HERE.

Posted at 9:49AM on Mar 14th 2007 by CONSTGIRL2003

94. This is my last comment before my blood pressure goes through the roof. Thank you Robert for your good sense.

Oprah, who started out with nothing, has ONLY $1.5 billion. I know that sounds crazy, but let me tell you that in the US, her money would EVAPORATE in 5 MINUTES if she tried to fix the schools, or 'rebuild New Orleans" as some mathematically-challenged poster said.
A US dollar is worth far more in Africa and will do far more. She did not ask any of you for a dime. YOUR money is going to New Orleans, Iraq, public schools, roads, you name it. So to expect one citizen to come up with the money for schools you have destroyed is INSANE.
I would not walk through an American school without a security guard. That is what has happened to our schools, based on unlimited junk food, no dress code, no homework, no respect for teachers, teachers abusing students, parents attacking teachers for daring to discipline their darlings, drugs, gangsters... I went to school in the deep south; we had strict discipline, and everyone was literate and went on to successful careers. Oprah knows about that and is trying to bring back a time when black people were different from what we have now.

Posted at 1:03PM on Mar 14th 2007 by catatonic

95. Is the Roman Catholic Church behind this? Why does Oprah wear a crucifix when she's not Catholic or Lutheran or Episcopalian? And why does Britney wear one, when she's a Baptist?

Hollywood is using stars to gather more people to sell their souls. They're running out & then need more. I pray everyday, these children know they do NOT have to sell their souls to get what they need from life.

Your soul goes to God, not the Devil or what Oprah represents!!

Posted at 12:22PM on Mar 14th 2007 by Apres Ski

96. In US boarding schools, parents often only get a parents day to come and visit and see their kids' projects once a trimester, which works out to be less often than once a month. But I don't hear any of you calling facism on American boarding schools.

Posted at 1:38PM on Mar 14th 2007 by zee

97. Let me get this straight... Oprah interviewed some american children, who wanted IPODS... Then she came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to help any american children BECAUSE all they care about is IPODS?

Can't you see those are the words of a condiscending biggot?

According to Oprah's logic, if we interviewed her students and found that they would love to have fried chicken and watermelon, instead of just sandwiches, yogurt and fruit, we could come to a "rational" conclusion that all African children cared about was watermelon and fried chicken???

Using this reasoning, we could justify any form of biggotry.

Why does she get a free pass?????

Posted at 5:32PM on Mar 14th 2007 by ratta

98. Oprah is giving these young girls a chance at an education and a life they would never have. The strictness is called a disciplined life which gives them a structured environment in which to learn... say what you will about Oprah, she is a woman who has given back to so many. She is touching lives and changing the world-- what did you do today... we all can change a life in some way.

Posted at 7:22PM on Mar 14th 2007 by Denise

99. To # 99, Oh she gives to the US educational system... That's great. She want's to open the "Oprah" school in Africa... That's fine too.

The beef I have is that she doesn't really put her mouth where her money is. She talks down to American's and lectures us as if we deserve to struggle because of our unsatisfactory ways. How we have to get our act together no matter how hard we try. She preaches that following your dreams and working hard is all it takes to be rich. This isn't true in this country or anywhere else. We need to be compassionate to those who are less fortunate. This is not racism on my part. She has a double standard towards her attitude of Africa. I just don't want to be talked down to by an uncompassionate rich b.

Posted at 7:44PM on Mar 14th 2007 by ratta

100. well, i don' care if oprah's being strict!!! I mean, I'm glad she helped those girls at all.I mean they're frickin LUCKY!!!So don't be dissin oprah!

Posted at 8:10PM on Mar 15th 2007 by ash

101. What Oprah has done is just wonderful! Strict, safe and nurturing is not all bad. We know it will be a few years before the care and high expectation of Oprah's efforts can be assessed. Kids in the US public schools are out of control. We hear daily about student on student violence, student on teacher violence and student on civilian violence. We all know that weapons are being discovered in elementary school children now days. Bureacracy has just about killed the notion that the US can properly education all of its students (black, white, yellow, red, brown -- male, female --rich or poor). Just read the stats! She could have never gotten this kind of school off the ground here in the States. While Oprah has the $$$, the bureacracy in public education would negate her having total control to build a state-of-the-art school, choose from the "best" administrators, teachers, staff and set an academic standard to which she expects all students to meet.

Posted at 9:48AM on Mar 19th 2007 by Jacqueline L. Swain

102. Who they gonna email or call, they don't have phones, or e-mail. This is a huge adjustment for these girls. Yes great life but "Homesick"

Posted at 5:42PM on Mar 16th 2007 by kristy

103. There is no legitimate criticism that anyone can make concerning the academy "Ms. Oprah" has built in Africa, with her own money, to educate underprivileged girls in a 3rd world country. If successful, as these girls move up in grade and graduate new girls will be admitted to the academy. And, over time, Ms. Oprah through her academy and the free educations she is providing for hundreds (potentially thousands) of girls will no doubt change the whole African continent for the better. Truth be told, that is what her critics are really mad about. I mean honestly, how can anyone in his/her right mind criticize free education?

Posted at 7:32PM on Mar 16th 2007 by RL

104. #35 don't be shocked about the racist comments you are reading. This is the real world. Racism does exist. As you see, those ignorant people are jealous because they are not educated themselves and were too stupid to take advantage of the free education that was offered to them here in the United States. Oprah was not born rich. Maybe they should take advantage of the free adult school classes in their community and learn how to write. Maybe they might become a better person once they can read how to become one. What gives ANY ONE a right to tell Oprah or any one what to do with the money that they've earned.

Posted at 1:24AM on Mar 17th 2007 by April Harper

105. First we all have to acknowledge that South Africa is not the States. The family structure is different. Seen from an African point of view, the school is a prison! It would also be consider a prison, if she had placed it in Denmark.

Family does matter more. People has see each other once a week. Letter communication is not enough. People, who have been interviewed in Danish television about their stay in one of our prisons, speaks about that the worst part of being in prison is not the little space or the fact that they are locked up. It is the lack of communication. They can write once a day, but only receive visit once a week.

I don't think that she for a minute have looked at the cultural background of the people, she had made the school for. Regardless of the exellent education and good food these children will end up hurt. How can I reasure this? Because we have tried it in Greenland. Australia has tried it with the native population. The children would be hurt and loose connection with their culture if they are not visited at least once a week by the closest family members, which in South Africa often means 10-11 people.

Posted at 2:47AM on Mar 17th 2007 by C. Overgaard