Another reason why I LOVE Oprah!

mariah, please cover your boobies.. geez

good job oprah

I read elsewhere that this school has a nail salon and a yoga studio. Why?

That's really nice of her! Investing in education is the best way to help someone.

Beth1122, Why NOT?

That is a great thing to do! And no phony posing here no
But I still ain't a fan of Oprah..
______________________________________
\Don't chase the beat of your heart/

...why not?

I have a few Oprah issues but this project of hers isn't one of them. On down the line, it'll be interesting to see if all the goodies provided for these young ladies really pays off. Also, for people who have a problem with some of the perks I wonder if Oprah sought donations for some of them. Like she does on her giveaway shows...she doesn't put out a dime from what I heard.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't know the real estate values in South Africa, but $40 million seems like a lot for a school that serves 152 students. That's over $263,000 per student. But I guess flying in all those celebrities on private planes for the opening is part of the marketing budget, so that would add some cost.

It's great that she's doing this, but wouldn't it have seemed less self-serving if she hadn't put her own name on it? She could have named it after her grandma, or Rosa Parks, or some other strong female role model.

paiges...I was going to write the same thing...why has Mariah got her breasts out....she is at at SCHOOL for Christ sake....is nowhere sacred?

Great Job Orpah....$40m is pocket change for her so good to see she is putting her money to great use and putting her money where her mouth is.

She also look great with the highlights

oh I bet she'll get crap for that quote!
I bet the nail salon & yoga studio will offer job training for the girls

my issue is primarily the one with madonna & brangelina adopting ... why did this have to happen outside of the US? there are projects all over the US. are little girls in the US just so "lucky" to be born here that they don't need a school like that in south central or in hell's kitchen? i'd LOVE to see $40 million go to the "F" schools over here, or a new private school with donations in the hard-hit areas like indian reservations, etc. yes, there is red tape here, but there is also red tape overseas. i am not discounting her generosity or her willingness to help, but she knows firsthand how difficult a life of poverty is here in the U.S. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

I think she should get crap for that quote. I taught in an inner city school for five years and I dont believe that that is the general attitude at all. Of course kids/teenagers will say dorky stuff like that, but that's just kids. My kids didnt ask Santa for world peace when they say on his lap at Christmas. Why would students in an inner city school ask for an education if they're already in school? Hello Oprah? They're IN SCHOOL ALREADY! What a stupid quote from a conceited woman.

Here is the entire quote. It's not AS bad, but I still take offense at what she said.
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But she sees the two situations as entirely different. "Say what you will about the American educational system—it does work," she says. "If you are a child in the United States, you can get an education." And she doesn't think that American students—who, unlike Africans, go to school free of charge—appreciate what they have. "I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools that I just stopped going. The sense that you need to learn just isn't there," she says. "If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don't ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school."

YEAH GO OPRAH !!!

It always AMAZES me that no matter what a person does to try to do some good someone will ALWAYS COMPLAIN!

Why the hell should Oprah name the school that she built after Rosa Parks or anybody else? Who ever managed to put up $40 mill dollars should name it whatever the heck they want. That school has the RIGHT name!

So what if that school has salons or anything else in it. When you build your own school you put whatever you want in it!

People have no problems with celeb building a $40 mill home for their self and their dogs. But God forbid Oprah try to help these poor people!

Good for you Oprah I wish many other people with money would do just half as much of good as you do!

canthelpwatching......I agree. As much as I applaud anyone for helping anywhere they can, OW has done more harm than not IMO, and furthered a stereotype about what really isn't a true representation. She has not visited every school, or district in the USA, and for her to determine that what a few said represents the whole is irresponsible IMO. Even if they did ask for those things, does that mean those children are bad students? Did she bother to investigate each individual USA kids record like she did the African children she chose to find out if this was a child who was a hard worker, but was still a kid being asked a question and answering like a kid? It's Oprah's money to do with what she wishes, but sometimes I think she also steers it in the direction of the recipiant that will extend to her the most praise and not necessarily the most appreciation regardless of her saying different. JMHO

Beth1122, the reason why Operah created those facilities in the school is that the girls have that. In South Africa it's not like their is a nail salon on every corner. And also, I read she wanted to make girl's feel beautiful.

I think this is great what Operah's doing. Why can't other celebs do commitments like this?

I suggested naming it after someone else because it's really tacky to slap your own name on a building. Who besides Donald Trump does that? Even Madonna isn't naming her Malawi orphanage/Kabbalah training center after herself (so far). You don't see the Jolie-Pitt rain forest.

Classy people who donate buildings name them something else. (a relative, inspiring person, something other than a person's name, etc.) Self-promoting media ho's like Trump and Winfrey evidently like to see their name on the wall.

I am with Ginger that she could have served more children on that budget. Don't really care about the school name thing.

Oh please there is nothing wrong with putting her name on the school and she already did the "classy" thing by building it in the first place. And for your info the Jolie Pitts do put their kids names on some of their projects also and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either! And has anyone ever stopped to think that more children will attend the school in the future. I don't care if she built a $40 mill dollar school for 20 kids at least she's doing something! Its ashame people don't think these poor kids are worth this kind of money. I guess it would be seen as money well spent if she would have invested a pitiful 40 thousand instead if 40 mill. Oprah wanted to give these girls a fabulous place to learn not some mud hut! I still say what she's doing is wonderful!

I'm just happy for those girls. Not sure what Oprah's motives are...if it's to increase her large sense of self importance, or a genuine need to help...but the important thing is that these girls are getting an opportunity for a better life.

I agree DulceSkye. Regardless of her motives, by doing this she is improving the lives of these girls, so more power to her.

My issue, and my only issue is her seemingly blanketed assertion that all schools in "the innercity" are full of kids who have no interest in learning, and who are more interested in the material here and now. Some will say, "people are smarter than that and realise she was speaking from isolated personal experience." Lol! Yeah, ok, and I will tell you those people who live or work in it. I know different, and I'm just disappointed that she would paint the picture she has with that one statement. Trust me that it was seriously debated today out here in the real world. Her words made a lot of kids who do put their backs into learning feel like they've been dumped back into a pot they've worked hard to climb out of.

I've seen reports on Oprahs show that have pleaded with society to take a look at our schools in America. Oprah has done so on several occasions. She's had shows exposing our dilapidated schools and how some schools are fabulous with great teachers and other schools don't have heat or books. She had a special dedicated to helping our students just this past year. She opened my eyes to the condition our schools are in even the ones just down the street from the white house. Oprah has and will always try to help others get ahead especially school children. I think its unfair to make a "seemingly blanketed assertion" over one quote considering all that she has done.

I don't think anyone here thought this isn't a good thing. I even said it was a great thing in my first post.

Madonna has not built her school yet.....I will bet money it has her name on it.

The Jolie Pitts have some building named after them both so those posting it is only Trump and Oprah who put their name on anything should do some research before post.

Some people just can't do right for doing wrong.....I wish you would all just see this as it is.....an attempt to help people....why should Oprah build schools in the US....isn't this the role of the US government? Why should she do their job. African countries and governments do not have $40m to build schools...$40m is probably less than Bush spent on his campaign to get into government.....I said probably

My cousin is in Africa working on the documentary of this school. She has been there for about 8 weeks. She has been so excited about this project since before she started working on it. I am an Oprah supporter, who else is going to help these girls...

I didnt say that she shouldnt have built the school. I think it's lovely to do service for others. But I do think it was a RUDE and INSENSITIVE thing of her to say about inner city schools, teachers, and students. Things like that are hurtful to those of us who sacrificed to try to make things better.

It has nothing to do with how much money her current project costs. It has everything to do with having to put someone down to justify her current actions. Couldnt she have just said why she wanted to do the school in Africa? If someone had asked her why she didnt do it in the US, she could have said what so many of you said about her already giving tons to schools here.

Instead she chose to put down the schools, administrators, teachers, students, parents, volunteers, etc. in the inner city to justify to the press why she spent so much in Africa.

That was rude and very Oprah. I hope the girls in her school are happy with the nail salon and never ask for an iPod. Will she close down the school in angst?

AND if she doesnt want people in the US to tell her they want material things like iPods and sneakers when she asks them what they want, she should stop giving away millions of dollars of loot every year on her show. Maybe the poor kids she asked were hoping that they were on a special show where she granted their material wishes. Isnt that what everyone hopes for when they're an audience member on her show? Why wouldnt the kids in the inner city be different?

Im done.

So...you were saying?

What a crap! A 40 million $ school in Africa for 125 people which she handpicked???!!!
What in hell is that! Do u have any idea how many schools without Mariah Carey in it, could have been build in Africa with that amount of money ???? It doesnt take more then 100.000$ to build a simple school there so u do the math...400 schools she could have build.Instead she had to make it look larger then life as always.Oh Vanity! Cant believe she HANDPICKED them. I didnt know they were having an audition. Blah blah blah...she is doin this for the poor.If I made billions I'll give millions also.Ppl who help others, dont put cameras in their faces so everybody can see.A lot of celebrities do help others and do not talk about it. Look at the press conference, even the wallpaper is pricey. I like Oprah but this is bad,really bad.And as for those others.DUDES! U cant wear freaking Armani when u act like u're trying to help ppl that have never seen a fully roasted chichken in their life.No matter what they say...is to hard to believe they're there for that.And for once in her life,couldn't Mariah cover something.U know...they got spiders there.lol

1) being poor in the us is not the same as being poor in africa, most girls do not get an education and are forced (do not choose) to drop out at a very young age because they are pregnant (sex education is nil in africa)or they need to take care of their family because a family member is ill (disease runs rampant in africa. 2)if i spend 40 million dollars on anything im not naming it after rosa parks, great lady but she didnt spend 40 million dollars 3)this is not just a school for these girls, its a new life, i believe its a boarding school and it teaches them things that will hopefully allow these girls to go to college and have careers. you cannot build something like that for a hundred grand
i know he thinks you're fine and stuff but does he know how to wind you up?

I'm not a huge fan of Oprah's but I am a fan of the work that she does. At the end of the day what matters the most is to try to affect as many lives as possible.
As a Black South African female, I can tell you that what this school will do for these girl is unimaginable. A lot of people are criticising her for comments made about American schools etc, lets just look at the good that she is doing for these kids and stop with all the negativity.
Being black, poor and female in South Africa is as good as a death sentence. the chances of your life amounting to anything is slim to nonexistent. What Oprah has given to these girls is literally a lifeline!!!

Yay for doing good! Good needs to be done all over the world, not just here.

I like Oprah and I think she is awesome for doing this....but it is kinda wonky that she named the school after herself?

i think its great whats she doing, this woman is one of a kind and instead of finding silly faults in her i think we should thank and praise her.

Ditto Ayanda. I also think that the fact that an American celebrity is doing something like this in SA, will encourage South African celebrities/business people etc to follow suit in their own country. Oprah is planning to increase the enrolment of this school to 450 pupils & is also planning on opening a co-ed school for 1000 pupils in KwaZulu-Natal (another province in SA). The only thing that I do have a problem with is that Oprah is requiring that these girls be tested for HIV, this is making headlines all over our country because it goes against the constitution, and it shouldn't matter anyway if they are HIV positive because it is illegal to turn a child away from a school because of their HIV status. I think it's great that Oprah wants to do charity work in other countries, but she still needs to respects the laws of those countries!

Wow, didn't know about the HIV testing. Do you think it is to exclude them or get them meds and medical attention??

That really sucks, but I don't want to comment until I've checked it out. I'll get back to you all.

Read a few articles. Apparently Oprah's said that having the girls tested for HIV will help "the girls at her academy live happy and successful lives." She hasn't said anything about what will happen if any test positive.

This isn't looking too good!!!

go Oprah!

Yeah, I think the problem is that it's illegal to make anyone get an HIV test, I remember that radio ad, I think they were playing it on 5fm, that was saying how people running a business/school weren't allowed to force their employees/pupils to have AIDS tests, or even require it. But Oprah is American & maybe that's ok in US law, so i dunno...

y is she not president?

While I respect her for what she has done, admire it and appreciate it, I am just not a big oprah fan. Sometimes I think i just want to smack her or something and i would feel much better.

I'm all in.

I admire Oprah for she does for those people who need it most. I also think that she is a great role model for all of us girls out there. I watch her show every single day. I think she's one heck of a woman, she's just so real.