7th November 2007
At a press conference Monday, Oprah said that she wept upon learning of allegations that a dorm parent at her school for girls had committed indecent assault on several pupils. Though she is not responsible for hiring at the school, Winfrey said the screening process was not sufficient and "the buck always stops with me."
The daytime queen profusely apologized to the parents of students at her all-girls Leadership Academy in South Africa for a sex-abuse scandal that resulted in the dismissal of one of its dormitory matrons.
The accused dorm parent, 27-year-old Tiny Virginia Makopo, faces 13 charges of indecent assault, assault and criminal injury. She was freed Monday on $450 bail.
"I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," a tearful Winfrey told angry families who showed up for an emergency meeting at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
Allegations surfaced two weeks ago that a "dorm parent" had been accused of fondling a girl and physically and verbally abusing several others, including grabbing them about the neck, beating them and hurling them against a wall.
A father of one of the students tried to allay Winfrey's guilt.
"We don't blame you," he was quoted as saying. "You have more passion for the school and its existence than anyone else in this country, including us parents."
Winfrey, described as visibly distressed, promised the parents that those found to have committed wrongdoing would be punished.
Winfrey also gave the students, whom she referred to as her "daughters," their own mobile phones and her personal telephone number and email address in the U.S. so
they could get in touch with her at any time.
The $46 million Leadership Academy, which aims to provide impoverished South African girls with a high quality education, opened its doors in January to much fanfare.
*Sources; South Africa's news.24.com, Oprah.com,
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