Oprah's New School

As many people have probably alread heard Oprah Winfrey just opened a $40 million school in Africa. So, what do people at DU think about the school? I think it is a nice thing, but I wish she and other celebrities would put more of their money in the United States. I really wish she had went into the inter city and built a $40 million school there or in some other small poor region in America. Last night my mom asked me if American kids would have appericated it as much as the kids in Africa. As I told her, yes, and they probably would have appericated it more. There are so many kids in poor neighbors that are so smart, but lack teachers and resources that can teach them what they need to know in order to compete with some of the rich kids. I am one of those believers that if poor kids had the same resources that rich kids had they would run rings around some of the rich kids.

It seems to me that Winfrey could have put that money in the New Orleans school system. From what I have heard that city had a very poor education system even before Hurricane Katrina passed through. I think it would have just helped if someone gave the system $40 million in order to rebuild and buy books and computers. I saw a report on the CBS Evening News which showed what happened once a company began to put money and time into a bad inter city school. The school became a very well performing school. I think the guy who owned the business only put half a million dollars into the school. I may be wrong on the figures, but I think it was only half a million.

Also, did Winfrey really tell Newsweek Magazine that the reason she did not put the money into American schools is that the kids in America asked for ipods and video game systems instead of uniforms to go to school as the African children did. Finally, I know it is Oprah's money, but I just wish she and other celebrities would try to improve things in America before they try to improve things overseas.

Snip:
As Oprah’s wealth and influence have grown, so has her compassion. In 2000, Oprah's Angel Network began presenting a $100,000 "Use Your Life Award" to people who helped improve the lives of others. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Oprah has donated more than $50 million to charity, including 50 local organizations such as the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Children's Memorial Hospital and the Chicago Academy of the Arts. After selling off some of her clothes, Oprah donated a box full of money—including a $1 million check—to Chicago’s Providence St. Mel School.
http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=oprahhero

I think the school system in South Africa for the poor kids is far worse than the worst we have in America. Kids here have a chance, not always much of a chance, but still a chance. Those that she took into the school in South Africa were pretty much damned to a life of nothing already.

If I had a criticism it would be that for 40 million she could have built one hell of a nice school or even a few really nice schools for way more than 125 hand picked kids instead of a single luxury private institution.

I heard the story on NPR and thought, which would be better, giving 150 girls a spectacular education, or giving 150,000 girls a better-than-average education?

There are way too many kids who need help to narrow it down to 150.

125 and so on. I think what she did was great and it gives to many who would otherwise not have it. Education is the freedom to oppression.

I watched "The View" this morning with Hillary Swank talking about the new movie she's in, "Freedom Writers" and the teacher who actually worked with this kids was also on. It was very inspiring and I think it takes someone with guts and perseverance to do what she did.

So many varying thoughts on this, but where education is concerned it is all good...:)

She's done a lot for the NOLA refugees/evacuees.

She went to Houston and she did give for the NOLA disaster.

I agree with her reasons for not giving to inner-city schools. I understand. Something has gone terribly wrong there. With the rap/hip hop culture people want it all riches now without the education and the work. Parents don't make sure kids read but they make sure they practice football, basketball, golf and baseball.

So OPRAH...I agree with you whole heartedly.

It's not how I would have done it, but good for Oprah.

ever noticed that when she speaks to the Media or Press she takes on this almost Maya Angelou affect in her voice? It's all pretense and for show.

She claims she was so poverty stricken when she was a child but then declared on her show one day that she had never been to a WalMart. Now, I didn't grow up poverty stricken by any means, but I had been into many WalMarts, K-Marts, Targets, etc. when I was growing up, and you can bet Ms. Winfrey had, too.

The whole Hermes incident put the icing on the cake for me as far as Oprah goes. Her crying racism when they wouldn't let her in after hours and the *reason* she was going in there: To buy Tina Turner a watch! Come on! Why in hell did she need to buy Tina Turner a watch that costs thousands of dollars? Pure ego is why. I nearly puked when I heard that the head of Hermes came on her show and apologized.

Ego and Entitlement is what Oprah is. She built the school for herself, not those girls.

I grew up and never even saw a WalMart - they didn't exist in my city.

And I don't think the girls will benefit ANY less from the school regardless of her motivation - do you?

judge her actions.

I'd have liked to see her build a battered partner shelter here or some other such thing, but she could have just held on to that money.

Not what I would have done with the money, but at least she didn't buy more real estate for herself.

I could care less why she did it. It's Oprah's money and she can do what she wants with it.

If she wants to use it to build a school, give gifts to people, give to charities, give away homes, so be it.

She's got an ego. So what? She has a sense of entitlement. Again, so what?

At least she's doing some good things with her money.

Born black to unwed teens in Mississippi I would say there is a good shot she was actually as poor as she says she was growing up.

At least this puts a small personal bandaid on the wound...

No, I am not an Oprah fan either...but hell, the end justifies the means in a positive way in this case.

for a person who, at worst, does no harm.

and Walmart wasn't on every street corner in the 50's.

after 1962 when she lived there. She lived in Nashville, TN when she was a young woman amd there were Wally Worlds there. I don't claim to be able to build schools for underpriviledged girls so don't hold your breath waiting for me to do so, to whoever got that little slam in. I am of the opinion that Oprah is full of herself and does most everything for her own personal gain and publicity. Hell, she even throws banquets under the guise of honoring others but manages to get plenty of video clips of people lauding *her*.

People are like sheep when it comes to Oprah. I have a job in the retail world. The day after Oprah's Favorite Things shows, people are absolutely frantic to get their hands on what *she* buys. I have had women *cry* when they couldn't get whatever it was Oprah recommended! It's *nuts*. Just because she recommends something makes women *have to have it* whether it's woeth a damn or not.

and the most real need in the world is in Africa, where hellish lives are the norm.

Educating women should be a great priority there, and each educated young woman will go on to teach others, whether her own daughters or the daughters of many other people. Each educated young woman will have her horizons expanded beyond that of unpaid domestic servant and baby producer, and that will change the world.

Unlike the Africans, we still have enough resources in this country to care for each of us. Their solution has to be economic and educational. Our solution is political, wresting power away from the greedy SOBs at the top and their hired hacks in government and restoring it to the people.

I understand why she chose South Africa. I expect her to expand the program to other countries, as well, and I applaud her generosity to people who have the least in the world, African women.

We have the means to help each other here. They don't, there.

She has helped thousands in the USA, including paying for homes for people devastated
from Katrina.

I am always suspect of so- called dems bitching about Oprah.

We the compassionate party nit-picking about the affect in her voice?


Good grief…the bitchy complainers need to re-evaluate their priorities pronto.
And you call yourselves Democrats? What a crock.


:hurts: :spank: :hurts: :spank:

Africa is the forgotten continent. There is simply no comparison between poverty here and the life threatening poverty there.

And, yes, I have been very poor. Hungry poor and homeless at times, when a kid. I've also been in 3rd world countries and seen poverty that made mine seem downright trifling.

I'm not a "fan" of Oprah but good on her for her generosity to the poorest of the poor.

She's also spent several millions in Louisiana building NEW homes for people who lost theirs in Katrina.
I watched the show where they GAVE those homes to the people - they weren't just grateful, they were SOBBING. Try googling Angel Lane. To say she's not helping the Katrina victims is VERY wrong!

HERE is what Oprah did for Katrina Victims:
In September 2005, Oprah reported live from the Gulf Coast just days after Hurricane Katrina blew to shore. In New Orleans and Mississippi, she saw the devastation and desperate conditions facing those lucky enough to survive the storm. And right then, she made a promise.

Oprah pledged to never forget the displaced families of Hurricane Katrina, and during the The Oprah Winfrey Show's 20th season premiere, Oprah committed $10 million of her own money to build homes and help rebuild lives. She also launched the Oprah's Angel Network Katrina Homes Registry so viewers could help "make a house a home" with furniture, picture frames and other items that were lost in Katrina's wake.

To date, donations to the Oprah Angel Network Katrina registry total more than $11 million. Homes were built in four states—Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama—before the one year anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200511/20051123/slide_20051123_284_301.jhtml

for the most part.

Oprah has repeatedly talked about her reverence for education. Who would appreciate the gift of an education more than children who don't have schools at all? They have no chance to succeed whereas Oprah correctly stated, many American kids value Ipods more than education.

International governments--including America--ignore genocide of hundreds of thousands of Africans around the world. They barely send money to minimize the rampant AIDS crisis in Africa. If they ignore life and death situations, they certainly aren't going to intervene to help improve the quality of life for Africans.

At least Oprah intervened--it's something few governments have done let alone individuals.

There are opportunities to do great things in Africa. That continent was raped so often by Western powers, no wonder things are so much in a mess. And RWers blame Africans for all of it!

Well, erpowers, Oprah does donate to the inter city. The inner city too.

Why Africa? Well, I suppose technically South Africans are people too (go figure), and I suspect they need money even more desperately than Americans do, even the poor ones.

Who the heck's business is it where Oprah donates her money?

And before you criticize her for not giving money here or there, why don't you do some research?

http://www.oprah.com/ophilanthropy/ophilanthropy_landing.jhtml

No good deed goes unpunished.

I think people should the posts they post about before they post about them. I did not say that Oprah did not give money to many charities or to the Katrina victims. My point was that there were schools in New Orleans that could use $40 million. It was not about how much money she had put where, it was about this $40 million. This $40 million could have gone to a poor American school. I feel for the Africans, but I just think it might be a good idea to fix things in this country before fixing things in other countries. As I said before I realize it is her money and she can do with it what she pleases.

What the fuck is your problem with where it DID go?

Are these girls undeserving?

:puke:

And how about our own government spending that kind of money to help its own in New Orleans instead of throwing it down the hellhole that is Iraq? And when did the entire project of rebuilding New Orleans become Oprah's responsibility?

and her choice.

Having worked on an American university campus, my own experience tells me that the kids from the African countries see their education as a rare and precious commodity, and they study ten times harder than most of the American kids.

Sorry, but too many in the US take education for granted. That's a hugh!1!1!1 part of our problem.

If Oprah felt her school would be more appreciated in an African nation, good for her.

I don't understand how people criticize her for building a school in Africa. The Waltons of Walmart, for instance, have built nothing in the US or Africa or anywhere. Oprah is liberating girls that might have died or contracted AIDS.

There are needs in the US (and Oprah has done things to address Hurricane Katrina and other domestic issues), but there are also needs on a global level. There is a semblence of a safety net in the US. There is nothing in many parts of the world.