Just saw these comments about my dojo and myself tonight. They are inaccurate and potentially libelous. Therefore, I'm responding with the intent to set the record straight for anyone reading these comments. (While I can't address specifics regarding the customer who has written these comments, I will talk briefly about my business practices.) 1.) I ask every student, who wants to take lessons from me, to sign a student agreement. The whole purpose of such agreements is to avoid misunderstandings. (Incidentally, I explain that clearly upfront and one of the conditions of the contracts I use specifically states that only what is written is valid.) Students initial next to each clause in his/her contract as I explain each and every clause. (Takes quite a bit of time to explain things but suffice it to say I'm thorough about this because I want to avoid just such a problem.) 2.) Contracts can't be one-sided or they would be ruled null and void by courts in Pennsylvania. There are plenty of clauses that protect students, when they meet hardship and the agreements are able to be cancelled when these or other conditions are met. EVERYTHING IS FORTHRIGHT, PLAIN LANGUAGE AND WRITTEN DOWN. Students won't sign it if they don't agree to the terms. (In today's litigious society I won't train anyone who won't sign a release and a membership agreement. I also kick students out who violate the dojo's code of conduct. It's my business and I'm responsible for everything that goes on there, including someone who might use martial arts for nefarious reasons.) 3.) The agreements I use exceed all of the requirements of Pennsylvania law and I feel very good about them because this is the first complaint I've experienced. I offer the following as an example of my conformity to PA law, as well as my belief in benefiting customers when it comes to such things: Pennsylvania consumer protection law requires 3-business days to cancel a contract and I offer a 30-day, 100% money back guarantee. In other words, I provide every single student 10 times the required amount of time to cancel--and then get back every single penny paid! 4.) Agreements I offer students are available on a month-to-month basis, 3-months, 6-months, 1-year, 2-year, and so forth. The choice of agreement length is the preference of the future student. I offer and the student accepts or doesn't accept. 5.) I teach over 95% of all classes at my dojo. While I push up to the time slot often (due to my career as a University Professor), I'm often not late to classes and always am hands on in all of my classes, unless I'm ill. Any students teaching are under my direct supervision (i.e., I'm in the dojo with the student teacher). No matter how someone feels about contracts in the martial arts, unless someone is going to be unfairly critical, they are helpful in delineating responsibilities for _both_ parties. Ultimately contracts protect both parties. Contracts are all around us and we agree to them everyday. Contracts save a lot of heartache for merchants and customers alike. Contracts denote professionalism and are important for not only this reason but to spell out, clearly, the responsibilities of each party. Seldom does someone have a gun held to his/her head while signing one and if they did the contract would be null and void pretty quickly. To join this discussion board I had to agree to a contract. Everyone who posts here did as well. IP addresses are even recorded so that a person can be held responsible for what they write here, including violating rules of conduct developed by Karate Forums and, I suppose, libel and defamation laws.
