Oprah's school problems

[USS Redskins]

I don’t get this woman. She has a serious God complex… she spends 40 million on an exclusive school in Africa for girls. Wouldn’t 40 million go allot further helping thousands of African children instead of just the few chosen by Oprah?

Then she wouldn’t have a say on much – she has to have control. She is now an expert on education. Everything has to be extra special and done the Oprah way. The girls who attend are not even allowed to contact their parents and now they are being abused.

I am sure she does allot of nice things but when you break it down it’s all about Oprah.

I expressed this opinion to a few Oprah lovers at work and was basically called an a-hole for dissing oprah. Man, she has women Hypnotized.....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,308082,00.html

[Spaceman Spiff]

Get used to it, she can do no wrong.

[Predicto]

And in the eyes of others, she can do no right.

It's her 40 mil that she is spending in a charatable manner. If she wants to start a single school with it, who are we to complain? The same thing could be said about the guys who give 40 million to Harvard or Stanford - couldn't it have been better spent somewhere else? Sure it could, but it is their money.

[DjTj]

I don’t get this woman. She has a serious God complex… she spends 40 million on an exclusive school in Africa for girls. Wouldn’t 40 million go allot further helping thousands of African children instead of just the few chosen by Oprah?

Does school voucher money invested in successful charter schools make more sense?

Or should we distribute our funds to as many students as possible through the public school system?

...it's a question that all charities and government agencies encounter, and there's no easy answer.

It's sad what has happened at Oprah's school though - hopefully they get things turned around.

[Prosperity]

I don’t get this woman. She has a serious God complex… she spends 40 million on an exclusive school in Africa for girls. Wouldn’t 40 million go allot further helping thousands of African children instead of just the few chosen by Oprah?

It goes a lot farther than nothing.

Stop hating.

[rincewind]

It appears the girls at the school are being abused and the OP's problem is Oprah's God complex???

[Teller]

I'm sure Oprah had no personal knowledge of what was going on until it was too late. And it seems to me she's addressed the problem personally and quickly.

It's tragic that it happened at all, but I'm not about to jump down the throat of someone who spent $40 million dollars to TRY to improve those kids' lives. Hopefully they'll get it figured out.

[APBT]

40 Million is not enough for a country. I remember when I was in Somalia and rebels took over money and started stealing food.

The Government couldn't do much about it. I guess Oprah was advised on how to shell out the money. Its a shame that its not working.

[zoony]

I kind of wish she'd spent the money in the country that created her wealth and gave her all of that fame. Because there are plenty of children and families who could use it here. But whatever, like Predicto said, its her money, and she has been very generous with it, so we really have no place to criticize.

[chiefhogskin48]

Oprah is one of the best celebrities out there. It's pretty petty for people to criticize a woman who is dishing out tens of millions for a great cause...

Kinda like the US of A can do no right in the eyes of the world, generous people like Oprah and Bill Gates are criticized for not "giving enough" or "giving to the wrong place." This isn't the Cathy Lee sweatshops or anything...

[Kilmer17]

One of my best friends has an unnatural hatred for everything Oprah related. Her show, her influence, her book club etc etc etc.

I send him an O magazine subscription every year for his birthaday (for 5 years now). I do it annonymously and get a huge chuckle everytime I think about him opening his mailbox.

[DjTj]

I kind of wish she'd spent the money in the country that created her wealth and gave her all of that fame. Because there are plenty of children and families who could use it here. But whatever, like Predicto said, its her money, and she has been very generous with it, so we really have no place to criticize.

I'm sure that she has bought a house, pays taxes, and spends a lot of personal money in the United States. And it's not like she has ignored domestic charity causes either. Oprah gave $10 million to build homes for Katrina victims, $12 million to Morehouse College, and built a $5 million Boys and Girls Club in Mississippi.

Maybe there is a certain jealousy that we feel when donations go to other countries or other causes, but the charity world really isn't a competition. If Oprah sends $40 million to Africa, it's not going to put domestic charities out of business. Charity isn't a zero-sum game. I don't think Oprah was sitting around thinking: I've got this $40 million dollars - should I donate it in Africa or the United States? She saw an issue in South Africa that she thought she could address, she found out it would cost $40 million, so she made the commitment. It didn't stop her from donating in the U.S. as well.

[@DCGoldPants]

One of my best friends has an unnatural hatred for everything Oprah related. Her show, her influence, her book club etc etc etc.

I send him an O magazine subscription every year for his birthaday (for 5 years now). I do it annonymously and get a huge chuckle everytime I think about him opening his mailbox.

Classic. I love that type of stuff.

Next, sign him up to host an AA meeting.

[USS Redskins]

And in the eyes of others, she can do no right.

It's her 40 mil that she is spending in a charatable manner. If she wants to start a single school with it, who are we to complain? The same thing could be said about the guys who give 40 million to Harvard or Stanford - couldn't it have been better spent somewhere else? Sure it could, but it is their money.

Thanks for stating the obvious.

I am commenting on her God Complex. It's the world according to Oprah.

40 million could help thousands of children in Africa, instead she chose to do it her way - an exclusive school for a few kids, run the Oprah way.

When a country has as many problems as Africa does to choose to help the few, seems a bit odd to me.

When I give away my millions, rest assured, it will be spent wisely.

[Rocky21]

You mean you can't throw money at a problem and make it go away?

Altruistic motive or not, Oprah created another problem as opposed to solving one.

[iheartskins]

And how would you suggest she spend her $40 million in Africa, USS?

Understanding of course the RAMPANT corruption that goes on there and the fundamentally lacking infrastructure for accounting/auditing how money is spent?

Throwing money at Africa is what the West has done for decades and what has it gotten us? Not much.

Creating a sustainable resource for learning is exactly the kind of permanent structural assistance needed. Instead of just dumping some food or some books, they are providing tools for learning. I think the giving man a fish or teaching him to fish analogy works here.

I see nothing wrong with Oprah's decision, irrespective of any alleged god complex.

You may not like her, but she does a lot of good for people in this country and around the world.

[headexplode]

To make up for the abuses, she should give them all '08 Chevy Tahoes or something.

They won't be able to afford the gas, but maybe they can have some donkeys pull them around. Real leaders have shiny automobiles.

[Dictator]

When a country has as many problems as Africa does to choose to help the few, seems a bit odd to me.

When I give away my millions, rest assured, it will be spent wisely.

Hopefully it will be used to teach children that Africa is not a country.

[The_cavalierman]

I don’t get this woman. She has a serious God complex… she spends 40 million on an exclusive school in Africa for girls. Wouldn’t 40 million go allot further helping thousands of African children instead of just the few chosen by Oprah?

Then she wouldn’t have a say on much – she has to have control. She is now an expert on education. Everything has to be extra special and done the Oprah way. The girls who attend are not even allowed to contact their parents and now they are being abused.

I am sure she does allot of nice things but when you break it down it’s all about Oprah.

I expressed this opinion to a few Oprah lovers at work and was basically called an a-hole for dissing oprah. Man, she has women Hypnotized.....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,308082,00.html

The big picture is you are complaining about a woman who spent 40 million dollars to help someone other than herself.

[KingGibbs]

I don’t get this woman. She has a serious God complex… she spends 40 million on an exclusive school in Africa for girls. Wouldn’t 40 million go allot further helping thousands of African children instead of just the few chosen by Oprah?

Then she wouldn’t have a say on much – she has to have control. She is now an expert on education. Everything has to be extra special and done the Oprah way. The girls who attend are not even allowed to contact their parents and now they are being abused.

I am sure she does allot of nice things but when you break it down it’s all about Oprah.

I expressed this opinion to a few Oprah lovers at work and was basically called an a-hole for dissing oprah. Man, she has women Hypnotized.....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,308082,00.html

This would fall in the damn if you do, damn if you don't category.

[ldysknzfn1]

Contrary to the OP comments...All women are not hypnotized by Oprah...but I can only speak for myself in that instance. I am not hypnotized by Oprah. Rarely watch her shows(I have to work for a living).

I agree w/Zoony on this. I wish she would have spent it here in this country. Not that what she did was wrong...but there are families here in this country that could have used this type of help. But I guess that since we live in the land of opportunity...we must take advantage of said opportunities on our own w/o philanthropy from a mega celebrity who made her money off of said land.

Anyhoo....bottomline..it is her money and she can do with it what she pleases...this is what she chose. It's a shame the abuse happened..but she did respond quickly to resolve it. She's done some good both here and abroad. Go Oprah..spend that all american money in the anti american world! That's the Mega Rich American Way!

[Predicto]

Go Oprah..spend that all american money in the anti american world! That's the Mega Rich American Way!

Since when are the South African poor anti-American? Just curious.

[The_cavalierman]

Contrary to the OP comments...All women are not hypnotized by Oprah...but I can only speak for myself in that instance. I am not hypnotized by Oprah. Rarely watch her shows(I have to work for a living).

I agree w/Zoony on this. I wish she would have spent it here in this country. Not that what she did was wrong...but there are families here in this country that could have used this type of help. But I guess that since we live in the land of opportunity...we must take advantage of said opportunities on our own w/o philanthropy from a mega celebrity who made her money off of said land.

Anyhoo....bottomline..it is her money and she can do with it what she pleases...this is what she chose. It's a shame the abuse happened..but she did respond quickly to resolve it. She's done some good both here and abroad. Go Oprah..spend that all american money in the anti american world! That's the Mega Rich American Way!

Call me crazy but..

The fact that Oprah spent 40 million to help someone other than herself is enough for me. Oprah does stuff wrong all of the time (as she would tell you) but her good works get more publicity because of her track record of doing good things for people.

I do not think all women are hypnotized by Oprah. My fiance never watches Oprah but she does like her. I like the fact that Oprah is handling this situation personally and not doing it through lawyers.

She is a good woman doing great things and I think we have taken our eye off the big picture. I am certain Oprah has spent way over $40 million to help people here. Building a Girls school in South Africa is awesome in my opinion.

[headexplode]

Call me crazy but..

The fact that Oprah spent 40 million to help someone other than herself is enough for me. Oprah does stuff wrong all of the time (as she would tell you) but her good works get more publicity because of her track record of doing good things for people.

I do not think all women are hypnotized by Oprah. My fiance never watches Oprah but she does like her. I like the fact that Oprah is handling this situation personally and not doing it through lawyers.

She is a good woman doing great things and I think we have taken our eye off the big picture. I am certain Oprah has spent way over $40 million to help people here. Building a Girls school in South Africa is awesome in my opinion.

Steadman?

[Rocky21]

The atmosphere created at Oprah's school is perfect for a child molester. Rules were put in place limiting contact with people outside the school. Parents can only visit once a month. Visits have to be approved by the school at least two weeks in advance. Officials at the school hid facts and told students to "put on happy faces" and not complain when Oprah was there.