BLITZ KRIEG PUBLISHING
Students at Oprah’s Dream School in Africa Sexually Harassed Fellow Pupils
By Donna Gundle-Krieg April 2, 2009 Note: to comment on this and other articles regarding education, please go to Examiner.com
Seven students at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg, South Africa, were involved in sexually harassing their fellow pupils, according to the India Times.
Four students were expelled and three were suspended last week, according to Winfrey representative Don Halcombe. The students are not in the above photo, as their privacy is being protected.
"I'm disappointed that several of our students chose to disregard the school's rules," Winfrey said in a statement issued by her production company HARPO.
"It's disheartening when any student has to be suspended or expelled and it's a process that involves serious review and consideration. We will not tolerate a violation of school policy and dishonesty."
The school has not released any details. However, South African media have reported that the seven girls were accused of trying to force students into relationships and to engage in sexual contact, according to the Associated Press.
A girl of 15 was found guilty of preying upon another student and forcing other girls to conceal the truth from investigators. Other girls were caught fondling each other or trying to get other girls to join them in lesbian liaisons.
The incident is not the first scandal at Winfrey’s dream school. Shortly after the grand opening of the school two years ago, a female school staffer was accused of physically and sexually abusing students. She is still on trial for these crimes.
At that time, Winfrey said "I am a mama bear when it comes to protecting my children. These girls are like my children. That's not just rhetoric for me. I take their futures and the possibility for what their futures hold very seriously."
Winfrey poured $40 million into the 28-building campus on 22 acres. It has computer and science labs, and a library, theater and wellness center.
The school was inspired by Winfrey’s own "humble beginnings" and disadvantaged background.
It is the fulfillment of a promise she made to former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Winfrey’s goal is to provide educational and leadership opportunities for academically gifted girls from impoverished backgrounds in South Africa.
In 2007, there was an intensive application process among 3500 applicants to determine which of the 152 girls would be admitted to the school. At that time, the Academy started offering grades 7-8 and will expand until 2011, when it will offer 7th-12th grades.
Winfrey herself conducted the final interviews to determine which students she felt “had leadership potential to change the world.”
For more information, see:
Building A Dream: The Oprah Leadership Academy
7 Students Punished at Winfrey's School for Girls
Stories by Donna Gundle-Krieg:
Education in the United States
Books With Stories by Donna Gundle-Krieg
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