Oprah's girl's school "a nightmare" and "a prison" say parents

[Grimmlok]

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."

Oprah's school 'too strict': South Africa: News: News24

ROFLMAO sure, nothing wrong with keeping kids away from their parents.. nothing at all.. one day they will ALL be little Oprah clonebots, spewing smarmy, superficial self-help bullshit.

Hey parents, maybe if you think positively they'll let your kids out for a walk on a leash!

[Laurent]

I wonder if this is sanctioned by The Oprah, or if she'll have a show in a few months skewering this John Samuels for misleading and lying to her. Maybe Samuels should give James Frey a call and ask for tips, because you just know The Oprah will lay blame elsewhere.

[darksithbunny]

Surely the O doesn't know.

[Tater Tot]

[lisalucy69]

Oprah should be ashamed that her little "pet" project is keeping the girls from their families. I understand having rules, but keeping children from their families is just plain cruel. I hope Oprah steps in and rights this wrong.

[pacific breeze]

Rules at most boarding schools are fairly strict. These sound harsh to me, but my husband endured public schools in England and he says they are not unusual, and at least these girls are getting good food. They got awful sludge, although the admin ate very well indeed, when he was at school.

And we don't know that any of this is true.

[latinaforever]

it is a school not a sorority party.rules are rules.

[JuicyLucy]

"Michelle phones me in tears sometimes, and then I don't know what to say to her," says Conradie.

Then take her out you wretched witch of a mother.

[bite me spidey]

Oh come on, the school just opened—they've got rules and methods to work out. At least the kids are going to school now.

[JuicyLucy]

A school should never be worse then a prison. Students shouldn't be treated worse then criminals. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years it'll come out that some of the students were touched by teachers too. Especially with the way they're so secretive.

[pacific breeze]

^^That's quite a leap.

[JuicyLucy]

Well, yeah. But like I said, I wouldn't be surprised but of course there's always a good chance that won't happen. Hopefully, anyway. I just dislike the idea of boarding schools in general.

[Soth]

As someone that has been to a boarding school I can tell you that this is not even slightly out of the ordinary. Elitist academys pride them selves on a blanket of secrecy to achieve their culture of mistique. They thrive on others not being able to look over the fence to find out why the school believes its self to be so special. Kids are placed in an environment completely alien to them in the schools hopes that they can mold impressionable minds into what they believe to be best best for the child. Usually the draconian systems and rules are excused by the term "tradition", but The big O's school being new cant rely on that. Parents that send these kids to any boarding school do so because they want the child to have an opportunity in life that they themselves either got, or greater than those they did. Otherwise they would not put the lives of their precious kids in the hands of strangers.
Boarding schools feel like prisons a lot of the time, but you are free to not obliged to stay any longer than you as a student or parent are willing. So it is nothing like jail really.

And I hope Oprah chokes on a ham sandwich

[McJag]

Listen, from what I saw of their real homes, this IS a castle. Sure they will be homesick for the first few weeks but they have been given a top notch opportunity! If the parents were able to afford sending them to school, they would. Now someone has stepped into do it for them, so they have to follow rules! Big deal. Yes, this might be a sacrifice but the rewards can be great with a guarenteed university paid up ahead. That Mother can scream away-there are plenty who would fill that space!! Wish we had had this kind of opportunity!! No sweets? Fine!!

[ChangingEventually]

That diet really worries me. I mean, come on, they're humans.