http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...081757,00.html

Oprah's school 'too strict'
11/03/2007 18:39-(SA)

Gavin Prins


Johannesburg - The rules at Oprah Winfrey's ultra-posh school at Henley-on-Klip near Johannesburg are apparently so strict they make a reformatory look like a holiday resort.
That's the word from upset parents, who say the school rules make it difficult for them to keep contact with their children.
They would have aired their concerns during a satellite link-up with the chat show queen a week ago, but that was cancelled at short notice by the school's management body.
Meanwhile the school seems to have made the rules even stricter. Until now, the girls could receive visitors every fortnight, but parents can now only visit them once a month.
Frances Mans, foster mother of Gweneth Mulder, said last week she would take her daughter out of the school if the rules were not changed.
'Surely this isn't a prison?'
Cellphones and e-mail correspondence are out of bounds during the week, and girls are only allowed to phone their parents at weekends.
The maximum number of visitors per pupil is four, and visits have to be approved by the school at least two weeks in advance.
Mans said she had to wait at the security gate for half an hour to be signed in when she went to visit her daughter last Sunday.
"It was a nightmare. We had only two hours to see my child. Surely this isn't a prison or an institution?"
The names of visitors must also match those on the security guard's list before guests are allowed in.
Parents are not allowed to smuggle junk food in to the girls past the matrons.
"Then the girls lose points," says Mans.
The girls get points for "good behaviour", which they can exchange at a school shop for clothes and caps.
No treats allowed
"The poor children are not even allowed to have any treats. Their diet is fruit, yoghurt and sandwiches. When they go on holiday for a month in April they'll be stuffing themselves with sweets and chocolates in any case."
Angela Conradie, whose daughter Michelle is at the school, says she's just as upset about the strict visiting times.
"Michelle phones me in tears sometimes, and then I don't know what to say to her," says Conradie.
John Samuels, the executive head of the school, confirmed that only one visit a month would be allowed in future.
This means that if a girl has five siblings, she will only be able to see all of them over a period of three months.
Samuels says he sees nothing wrong with the system.
"We have the security and well-being of the girls at heart, in every respect. They are our priority. If there's too much movement on the premises at the weekend, it disturbs the school spirit."

Anyone got any pics of the place? I mean... whats it called? :?

Gotta watch out for the european south africans reporting as well, they're a nasty bunch they are.

Do you have any info on the school itself, what they're teaching and all that? It'd be intresting to know. This hasn't made the news at all over here in the UK, South Africa being an ''ex'' colony and all.

Thanks.

Heard years ago that RZAand othermusic artistswere going to help her build it, definately a good thing that shes not allowing mobile phones and all that crap in there, the high security is needed as well. Heard that its the mixed race people who run things out there dealing drugs and what not.

Could've at least had a boys school down the road or something, can see the idea behind it though.

It'sa school and not camp for crying out loud!

Aresome folksever satisfied, so what if students can't make calls during the week? Isn't that all stupid western indulgence,it's a boarding school, if it's an emergency I'm sure they'll be allowed to call.

And last things , it's a private school , NOONE is forced to be there, if the parents are so hurt by the treatment of their kids , then WITHDRAW them from there!!!

Sometimes no good deed goes unpurnished or critised it sems...

Or some europeans with invested intrest in South Africa/Africa in general will look for anything to drag down the school before they start churning out African women who can think for themselves enough to solve the problems in the region and take back the industries left over from aparthied... thus putting South Africa on the Axis of Evil list with other up and coming Third world nations who aren't to be economically bullied on a constant basis.

They'll be slurring this school to high heaven for a good while. banana.gif

i understand oprah is a megastar but wealthy blacks in the u.s. have been investing in Africa for years, the media doesnt take much notice til oprahs name is attached to something. millions aresunk into west africa yearly, maybe not to the extent ofoprah but the investmentsare still significant. i read about jay-z paying to havea water system in an entire village overhauled but not many people know about that.

as for the school, any top tier school you go to around the world is going to be strict. these girls are being touted as future leaders sothe school may be trying to seperate the "women from the girls".

digdug wrote: Firstly, Jay-z didn't do sh*t. He paid for a water system then had it turned on by Beyonce for afew photos. Jay-z has spent more on diamonds than the welfare of people in africa from whom spend every living hour and day digging up the diamonds he wears. Jay-z was charging up to $800 for a ticket to his concerts in Africa. Didn't give a damn about the poorer fans. He barely even left the hotel he was at, and spent time with communities there. I appreciate the water system and everything but his trip wasn't that benificial to africa from a man with a nearly $200 million dollar fortune

TheDogon

Check yer head. South Africa and Zimbabwe are the most powerful black nations on the planet and both are being targeted by the white power structure. Most Whites are depraved liars who burn to see any black do too well..remember these are the same people who sold us to each other like dogs. Currently the BBC and The Guradian are tryingtheir level best to deter any investment in southern africa. They are playing the long game, spread lies, destabilise the regionover a thirty year period and then swoop in with theNew Colonialism Project.Best thing that black Southern Africans could do is market themselves to the far east, come down hard on crime and limit the influence of whites in their affairs. Be prepared for a possible armed invasion though, or military coup.like i said, most whites are depraved and barbaric.

@lilsoulful

None of this takes away the fact that he made a major investment in africa, he also coordinates at lot of things with the un. jayz is worth well over 300 mil and its up to him what he does with his money whether its on diamonds or water. i cant speak on his concert tour but from my experience artists even in thestatesrarely leave thier hotels unless they have other scheduled apperences or are in "namebrand" cities.

I agree. Little girls in SA are constantly under attack and the school needs strict policies in place so that the girls are safe.

They ought to be grateful that their daughters are safe and being educated. As far as the food, South Afrika is the fattest place in Afrika and they need to have their diets curbed.

I think it's the crackers trying to stir up resentment. Or the black slaves who are being prodded by the crackers.