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PARENTS SAY OPRAH’S SCHOOL IS TOO STRICT: Gripes include rules about visitation, cell phones, meals and more.
*Looks like the honeymoon is over for Oprah Winfrey’s state-of-the-art school for girls in South Africa, as some parents and students are now complaining that the rules are way too strict, reports a South African news Web site.
First on the list of gripes is the visitation policy, which had originally allowed parents to see their kids once every two weeks, but will soon be changed to once a month. Angela Conradie, whose daughter Michelle is at the school, says she’d like to visit her daughter more frequently.
"Michelle phones me in tears sometimes, and then I don't know what to say to her," Conradie tells South Africa’s news24.com.
The school also caps the number of visitors at four per student, and all visits must be approved by the school at least two weeks in advance. The names of visitors must also match those on the security guard's list before guests are allowed in.
Frances Mans, foster mother of student Gweneth Mulder, said she was held up at the security gate for half an hour during a visit on Sunday. She said she would take Gweneth out of the school if the rules don’t loosen up
"It was a nightmare,” Mulder told news24.com. “We had only two hours to see my child. Surely this isn't a prison or an institution?"
According to reports, the students are not allowed to use cell phones or send e-mails during the week, and can call their parents only on the weekends.
Another bone of contention is the food situation.
"The poor children are not even allowed to have any treats. Their diet is fruit, yogurt and sandwiches,” Mans told the Web site. “When they go on holiday for a month in April they'll be stuffing themselves with sweets and chocolates in any case."
According to news24.com, absolutely no junk food is allowed on campus, and parents aren’t allowed to even gift snacks to their kids. Any child caught with so much as a Snickers bar will lose points, which are obtained for "good behavior" and can be exchanged at a school shop for clothes and caps.
News24.com says the children were to share their concerns with Oprah herself during a satellite interview on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” last week, but it was reportedly cancelled at the last minute by the school's management.
John Samuels, the executive head of the school, says the rules were carefully chosen and implemented for a reason.
"We have the security and well-being of the girls at heart, in every respect,” he explained. “They are our priority. If there's too much movement on the premises at the weekend, it disturbs the school spirit."
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