Oprah tells all why she avoided America's poor [View All]

[Deja Q]

Oprah quoteth this:

"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. 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."

That's sad. Mega fuckin' sad, forgive me my use of language.

Maybe she could have tried harder top convince the children. Or the parents.

And when I was growing up, it was "cool" to have portable tape players. All I wanted to do was learn. The day I wanted to be liked, I brought in a tape player too. All I did was get laughed at. The "peers" didn't even bother to hide their whispers, they said it as loud as they could. x(

Nothing is ever one sided, but a couple days ago I had asked "Why is she not paying attention to America's poor?"


Never mind this gem: As it is, only 152 girls, aged 11 and 12, were selected for the inaugural class at the Academy, out of 3,500 national applicants. Requirements for acceptance include having a household income of no more than $787 per month and undertaking a personal interview with headmaster Winfrey. The 28-building campus includes state-of-the-art computer and science labs, a theater, a wellness center, a yoga center, a beauty salon and, last but not least, classrooms.

Holy ageism and sexism, Batman! (or Batwoman, whatever.) A poor boy aged 11 isn't going to get anywhere in Oprah's world, it seems. :popcorn:

In ways, she's a good person. But then she steps in it big time with this:

"Say what you will about the American education system—it does work," she told Newsweek. "If you are a child in the United States, you can get an education.



Last I heard, the US is not in the top of the list regarding quality of schools... Maybe one of us is reading the wrong lists... and since I don't spend most of my time looking beautiful in a fancy garment to talk on daytime television where the big money is... Indeed, I went to college and the 40- and 50-somethings around me were angry that the college was more interesting in making profits than educating the students. One of them in particular I found a mentor because she told me I had intelligence and wanted to learn; many of the others just wanted to leech.

I dunno what to say. Except it's one big-ass mess.


Edited: Subject line to reflect serious nature of topic.