Doc: Oprah Girls Doing "Relatively Well"

Oprah Says She Is Not To Blame For Hiring Abusers At Her South African School

(CBS/AP)  Oprah Winfrey said Monday she was not responsible for hiring at her school for disadvantaged South African girls but that the screening process was inadequate and "the buck always stops with me."

Dr. Bruce Perry of the Child Trauma Center in Houston told The Early Show that the six girls and 23-year-old woman victimized at the school were "doing relatively well."

"They're all receiving mental health support. They have the support and care of their friends," says Perry.

Few issues resonate as deeply with Oprah Winfrey as child sexual abuse, notes CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds, so it's no wonder that this episode has come as a great shock to her and her millions of fans.

Calling the allegations of abuse at a school she founded in South Africa "one of the most devastating, if not the most devastating experience of my life," Winfrey appeared as part of a press conference detailing the investigation of child abuse which led to the arrest of a school employee.

With all the resources that Winfrey brought to this $40 million exclusive school, many just want to know how it happened.

"They asked the bank robber, Willie Sutton, why he robbed banks, he said because that's where they keep the money," Alison Arngrim, former child actress and spokesperson for the National Association to Protect Children told CBS' The Early Show. "Why do sexual predators go to school? Because that's where they keep the children."

Last month, a 27-year-old dormitory matron at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy south of Johannesburg, South Africa, was suspended in connection with allegations involving indecent assault and soliciting under-age girls to commit indecent acts.

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Photo Essay: Oprah Shows Her Class

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Tiny Virginia Makopo faces 13 charges of indecent assault, assault and criminal injury committed against at least six students aged 13-15 and a 23-year-old at the school.

Winfrey founded the boarding school near Johannesburg last January - but by March, parents said students at the academy were being treated as virtual prisoners, permitted little or no means to communicate beyond its walls, Reynolds reports.

Winfrey acknowledged that a system designed to protect students had become a way to intimidate them.

Because the girls were afraid of repercussions from the remaining dorm matrons, Winfrey said, all remaining dorm matrons were removed; teachers were placed in rotation in the dorms.

"This has been one of the most devastating, if not the most devastating experience of my life," Winfrey said, "but like all such experiences, there is always much to be gained, and I think there is a lot to be learned.

This isn't the first time Winfrey image has take a hit. But while her reputation may be damaged, few believe that it is destroyed.

After discovering that James Frye's bestselling "A Million Little Pieces" was more fiction than memoir, she excoriated the author on her show and then apologized to her viewers, who had purchased the book on her recommendation.

That episode and this current one both involved head-on televised apologies to her audience.

[cpaide]

"Bitter...table for one...right this way."
Posted by likeitis5050

Ha, I agree! But I don''t think Oprah will be dining alone. Better make it a table for one dozen to accommodate her attorneys and Dr. Phil.

[likeitis5050]

The only thing they learned at your "school" was to tolerate abuse and negligence. Thanks for the lesson. I thought Michael Jackson was outrageous; you take the grand prize for out-of-touch bobblehead.
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Posted by cpaide

"Bitter...table for one...right this way."

[likeitis5050]

Curious how Sharpton and Jackson can''''t find a way to speak out for the victims when it is a black on black incident....
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Posted by screen_ident

Hahahaaa!!! The black community can''t stand either one of them, but will ''tolerate'' them if it''s obvious it''s the last resource.

[jenniferjese]

did you ever posted your profile to a celebrity and millioniare dating site called http://www.BillionaireCupid.com? I just saw your profile yesterday on that site.

[cpaide]

"I guess all her success was just handed to her, and she didn''t work for any of it."
Posted by Korinsha

I think your suppositions regarding Oprah''s success are incorrect. It is obvious that she worked very hard and had nothing handed to her that she didn''t deserve.

My problem is with Oprah''s handling of her problems at her school back in March, and her current efforts to sidestep responsibility for the unfortunate outcome of her actions and ommissions.

If Oprah founded a day-care center in the U.S. and handled it the way she did her school in Africa, she would be under investigation by the City Attorney, the District Attorney and the Department of Family and Protective Services. She would be facing criminal and civil charges.

Don''t for a minute think that just because this happened to poverty-stricken Africans, we all should forget about it and pretend that Oprah is blameless. She must be held accountable.

[cpaide]

"...his practice, his education, his experience working with and around law enforcement, and the numerous programs and free services he has offered to people over the years..."
Posted by Korinsha

You must be referring to Joe McGraw, father of that other McGraw you feel obligated to promote. It was his practice that Phillip nearly ruined by having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage client. Rather than accept a reprimand by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Phillip refused to complete a required ethics course and lost his license to practice.

That''s how he wound up in the "trial consulting" business where Oprah found him and set him on his current path.

Yes, the "Dr." part of Dr. Phil is confusing to me and since you appear to be rather bright and resourceful, would you please tell me by whom the good "doctor" is currently certified? Thank you in advance for citing your source and providing a URL where I can verify your information by querying the organization''s database of board-certified physicians.

[korinsha]

On a side note: How do you go to school for many years, get tested, and get certified as a doctor... make you a "so-called" doctor? No... that actually makes you a doctor. I know, it''s confusing.

[korinsha]

Eh, some people just can''t stand a black woman being rich and powerful, and would love to see her take a fall, even for things totally out of her control. I guess all her success was just handed to her, and she didn''t work for any of it. *eyeroll* Just like Dr. Phil''s success before he had a show is also fake; his practice, his education, his experience working with and around law enforcement, and the numerous programs and free services he has offered to people over the years is just "fake" to boost ratings.... Um, even though this was BEFORE he was on television.

[name_verify]

Curious how Sharpton and Jackson can''t find a way to speak out for the victims when it is a black on black incident....

[cpaide]

There is no "Child Trauma Center" in Houston, Texas. There is a "ChildTrauma Academy", a not-for-profit organization based in Houston, which describes itself as "a collaborative, multi-site, interdisciplinary VIRTUAL Center of Excellence".

http://childtraumaacademy.org/

The "virtual" part meaning that it exists only in cyberspace. Apparently, there are no physical facilities called the Child Trauma Center in which the abused girls are being held.

This virtual "Child Trauma Center" should not be confused with the very real Children''s Assessment Center in Houston, Texas, which is where the girls might have been taken absent this ill-advised rush to "spin" Oprah''s crisis rather than to address the girls'' abuse:

http://www.cachouston.org/
"The Children''s Assessment Center (CAC) collaborates with hundreds of professionals from 35 partner agencies to provide the most effective service. Partners include law enforcement, medical and mental health professionals, and governmental investigative entities, all with the common goal of protecting children." Partners include:

Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children%u2019s Hospital
Child Advocates, Inc.
Crime Stoppers of Houston
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Harris County Protective Services for Children
Harris County District Attorney%u2019s Office
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Various Police Departments

NOTE that the Center''s leadership DOES NOT INCLUDE Dr. Bruce Perry.

[dgshiner]

Why you pickin on Oprah? At least she is trying to give kids a chance at education you probably did not say a thing if it had been David Lettermen or Jay Leno so why Oprah?

[cpaide]

"I''m not responsible, but the buck always stops with me." Great spin, Oprah, excellent! Keep it up.

Now keep those girls away from South African police and in the hands of the Houston "Child Trauma Center" until they get their stories straight. Was this the so-called "Doctor" Phil''s suggestion? Good one!

You knew about problems with the "school" back in March and did nothing but intimidate the students and the parents, telling them flippantly that they had your personal blessing to return to a life of hoplessness and squalor if they didn''t like your "school".

The only thing they learned at your "school" was to tolerate abuse and negligence. Thanks for the lesson. I thought Michael Jackson was outrageous; you take the grand prize for out-of-touch bobblehead.

[eggy1620]

%u201CBecause the girls were afraid of repercussions from the remaining dorm matrons, Winfrey said, all remaining dorm matrons were removed; teachers were placed in rotation in the dorms.%u201D

That would never be allowed to happen in this country. Underdevelopment in Africa should be viewed as a blessing in this instance because Western style unions would shoot this action down and doom the school%u2019s mission.