Oprah's School Faces 2nd Sex Scandal
By: RNS
Updated: March 31, 2009
Oprah Winfrey's South African boarding school for girls has fallen victim to a second sex scandal since its opening two years ago. Citing the "Afrikaans on Sunday" newspaper, Usmagazine.com reports seven students at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy School for Girls have been suspended for sexually harassing their schoolmates.
A 15-year-old girl reportedly "preyed" on another student and forced her victims to lie to investigators.
Other girls reportedly intimidated classmates into participating in inappropriate behaviors.
A letter to one of the suspended students parents read, quote, "You have been found guilty of physical contact of a sexual nature with another pupil on campus."
Lisa Halliday, a rep for Winfrey, confirmed that the students has been suspended for contravening the school's code of conduct but stressed the incident is "confidential."
The scandal follows an incident ten months after the school's opening back in 2007 when 15 girls claimed to have been sexually abused by a matron.
Virginia Tiny Makgobo is due in court on June 1st regarding the allegations.
