Ugggoooohh-prah!

I'm not really sure how this is gonna turn out. I've been watching Oprah regularly this season for the first time in my life-better late than never I always say. And I'm torn. You see, I've always thought so highly of her. She started with nothing and moved her way to the top. She's worked hard and given so many women a role model and inspiration. But as I've been watching this season, I find myself annoyed and angry. Does being a multi-millionaire mean that you know EVERYTHING? Cause it sure seems like Oprah thinks so.

I appreciate the attention Oprah has drawn to our education systems throughout the US, however, it seems to me that she is vilifying public schools and public school teachers. She is all for charter schools, which in my opinion, are a waste of resources. Today, I watched the episode with Tony Danza and his "second career" as a 10th Grade English teacher in Philadelphia (this is a whole different story of something I'm torn on, but we'll skip that for now). Tony was telling how hard it is to teach. Oprah, of course, started talking about bad teachers this and that. What I don't think she realizes is TEACHING IS NOT EASY! A lot of people, Oprah included, feel like any-ole-body could walk into a classroom and just start teaching kids how to divide and multiply. This assumption, my friends, is wrong. And because Oprah is on national television GLORIFYING IT, people all over America who don't have the sense to think for themselves are gonna believe that too.

Stepping down from soap box now...

Oprah gives advice to people about relationships. Um, did I miss something? Cause last time I checked, she's never been married. And certainly has no children. She gives advice about our national education system. Has she ever worked in a classroom before? And I'm not talking pay to build one, I mean go in and WORK. My thing is, I'm good at baking. I know how to bake and do it quite well if I do say so myself. I could give advice on baking or whip you up something delicious to eat at the word go. So why, WHY I ask, would I start giving advice about, say, brain surgery. Seems a little silly right? Maybe we should remember that when we are taking advice for Oprah or anyone that's a little less than qualified.