More Students Punished for Violations at Oprah Winfrey's South Africa School for Girls

It looks like the second controversial case at Oprah's school for girls near Johannesburg, South Africa has arisen to the forefront. Once again, the case involves sexual harassment among students and reputed forced sexual relationships. This may seem odd at an all girls' school but not unfeasable. Sometimes when females have no outlet for their hormones, they will turn to their own gender for "satisfaction." Incidentally, the same happens with males in certain circumstances. Oprah had to contend with a similar situation just months after the school opened in 2007, when some students accused a dormitory matron for sexually abusing them. In the present case, however, the seven students involved are now either expelled or suspended. The behaviors of these students were in direct violation of the school code, which forbids sexual harrassment activity among students on the campus.

There is no mention of the girls who attend this elite school having to attend a school code class. Assuming each girl receives a student handbook with the code written in it, and that they are able to read and comprehend the rules, there would be no problem as such arising in an all girls' school. But the girls are there for an education, not sexual activity. Those girls who are serious about learning and advancing themselves should be allowed to do so without any harrassment of the sexual variety around them. Thankfully, those girls who prove to be disruptive are promptly removed from the campus to ensure safety and an atmosphere conducive to learning. The primary purpose of the school is to train the poor girls to become leaders who will change the face of Africa and grant women more rights over the control over their lives. Better education leads to more access to birth control methods, which can help alleviate the poverty that many African women live in, caused by too many births, lack of access to food and job opportunities.

Oprah's Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa is based on a good concept, and that concept will work only if all of the students are willing to abide by the school code. Following school codes helps one develop a natural inclination for following social codes which are designed to protect society as well as the individual. Those who are able to follow codes without rebelling will be the true leaders of tomorrow for modern society.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090401/ap_on_en_tv/people_winfrey_school

http://oprahwinfreyleadershipacademy.o-philanthropy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=owla_homepage