Signed a Contract

[co512]

Well, I did what I always hated to do and signed a one year contract with a martial arts school. I signed up my kid and myself and now I am regretting it. They do have a nice kids program but the "adult" class is subpar and I can't really take the attitude/atmosphere. I decided to give it one last try the other day. I showed up for the 7:30 class and when people were still standing around at 7:47 (it is a one hour class), I just put my shoes back on and walked out.

Is it possible to get out of this contract? I signed up with Moore's Karate chain dojo but now they are no longer affiliated with Moore's. Moore's teaches their own "style" called shou shu. I feel that since a basic component of the contract of the contract has changed I may have a shot at it. That being they are no longer Moore's. It is like signing up for a Costco membership and finding out that your store is now a Costblow. Has anyone ever tried something similar? How did you handle it? Let them sue you or you sue them?

[joesteph]

Well, I did what I always hated to do and signed a one year contract with a martial arts school. I signed up my kid and myself and now I am regretting it. They do have a nice kids program but the "adult" class is subpar and I can't really take the attitude/atmosphere. I decided to give it one last try the other day. I showed up for the 7:30 class and when people were still standing around at 7:47 (it is a one hour class), I just put my shoes back on and walked out.

How unprofessional! Who is the chief instructor at your school? Have you had a word with him or her? I'm glad they have a nice program for the children. I'm wondering if your adult class may be made up of teens and older.

My instructor has a rule that class is to begin on time whether she's on the dojang floor or at her desk, and so the senior student present, the Sun Beh Nim, is sometimes called upon to tell us, the students, to form a line and get the warmup exercises going. By this I mean that he or she is not told to do this, but is expected to know as the Sun Beh Nim that there is a responsibility with the position. Sometimes my instructor has to speak with a parent, is welcoming observers and settling them into seats, etc., and we students all know class begins with a warmup drill. The first time I observed this, a fourteen-year-old first dan called us to form our line and we went right into the warmup exercises. As soon as he completed them, our instructor was right there on the floor. At another time, he wasn't present, and the "senior student" present was a senior in high school whose rank wasn't a dan member, but I myself said to her that she's the Sun Beh Nim, so she had to get us started. Sure, she was hesitant, but once she got in front and we did the first couple of warmups (with our instructor right at her desk, I'd say with one eye on us), we did just fine. Our instructor then entered the dojang training area, bowed to the "new" Sun Beh Nim, gave a verbal thank you, and then went right into class. I was once Sun Beh Nim, although that was with the Courage Club (special needs) class, ranging in age from six to fifteen (except for middle-aged me), so it wasn't an adult class that I'd kicked off. The only problem I've seen with this happened when the Sun Beh Nim was an adult, say age forty, a quiet man who, when I mentioned to him that it was time to get the class started, darted his eyes over to our instructor and said he really thought we should wait for her.

Before you quit, you might speak with the chief instructor about this. Is your child happy with the program? If you leave, will your child be expected to leave as well?

Contracts and the threat of lawsuits are funny things. I learned long ago that you can state that you are dissatisfied and politely but firmly inform the other party that you are no longer continuing the business relationship. If a lawsuit is threatened, you can say that that is up to the other party to initiate it, and end the discussion there. I won't say more than that because it will appear that I'm giving legal advice, and I can only go by my own experiences.

But I wouldn't leave before speaking with the instructor in charge. So long as you are addressing the issue politely but candidly, the ball is in the other guy's court.

[bushido_man96]

Perhaps if you leave, but opt to keep your child in, they might cut you some slack. If they have any business tack at all, they should let you out. It doesn't always work that way, though. Ask and see. I hope it works out for you.

[Truestar]

I couldn't ever imagine signing a contract for classes. Is this common?

At our school we have to register with contact info and medical info, and you pay for class. If you come, you pay, if you don't come you don't pay. If you don't come for an extended amount of time when you decide to come back you may or may not keep your belt. It depends on the circumstances. Signing a contract seems extreme though, and in my opinion a bad idea. I mean, are you technically legally bound to show up once you've signed? If so I would reconsider ever signing one again for Martial Arts classes. Then again, this is the first time I've heard of a contract for a school.

[Tiger1962]

Well, I did what I always hated to do and signed a one year contract with a martial arts school. I signed up my kid and myself and now I am regretting it. They do have a nice kids program but the "adult" class is subpar and I can't really take the attitude/atmosphere. I decided to give it one last try the other day. I showed up for the 7:30 class and when people were still standing around at 7:47 (it is a one hour class), I just put my shoes back on and walked out.

Is it possible to get out of this contract? I signed up with Moore's Karate chain dojo but now they are no longer affiliated with Moore's. Moore's teaches their own "style" called shou shu. I feel that since a basic component of the contract of the contract has changed I may have a shot at it. That being they are no longer Moore's. It is like signing up for a Costco membership and finding out that your store is now a Costblow. Has anyone ever tried something similar? How did you handle it? Let them sue you or you sue them?

I don't believe in contracts either and from reading around in this website, a lot of other people here don't either. Reason being, things happen. People lose their job, the place doesn't live up to your expectations, etc., which is what happened in your case.

Can you tell the owner you lost your job and your finances are too tight now? I hardly doubt he would ask for proof. You are not happy with the place and should not be forced to stick with it --- it's YOUR hard earned money. Good luck with this.

[pegasi]

Sadly, a lot of schools, particularly the chain ones, are doing the contracts, like gym memberships. You have to pay whether you come or not.

[bushido_man96]

I couldn't ever imagine signing a contract for classes. Is this common?

It is fairly commonplace anymore. I have a contract signed with my school. However, I am relatively certain that I won't be quitting any time soon, so it isn't any big deal to me. What it really is, is a contractual agreement to pay so much per month for classes for a specified period of time. The money gets to my instructor via EFT, and the longer I sign up for, then the less I pay per month. Also, I don't have to worry about cutting him a check every month, either. For me, it is more convenient to do it this way.

Many students are opposed to the idea. However, if you find that it is something that you plan to do for a while, it really isn't much of an inconvenience. I am also relatively comfortable with my instructor to the point that if something did come up, I could get out of the contract fairly easily.

[Rateh]

I like my contract. I know I will be here for at least the 2 years I signed for. By signing it my monthly fee is less than had I signed the 1 year or done month to month. TBH if they had a longer contract I would sign it, because I know I'm not going to be quitting martial arts.

[The BB of C]

Well, I did what I always hated to do and signed a one year contract with a martial arts school. I signed up my kid and myself and now I am regretting it. They do have a nice kids program but the "adult" class is subpar and I can't really take the attitude/atmosphere. I decided to give it one last try the other day. I showed up for the 7:30 class and when people were still standing around at 7:47 (it is a one hour class), I just put my shoes back on and walked out.

Is it possible to get out of this contract? I signed up with Moore's Karate chain dojo but now they are no longer affiliated with Moore's. Moore's teaches their own "style" called shou shu. I feel that since a basic component of the contract of the contract has changed I may have a shot at it. That being they are no longer Moore's. It is like signing up for a Costco membership and finding out that your store is now a Costblow. Has anyone ever tried something similar? How did you handle it? Let them sue you or you sue them?

*cough*McDojo*coughcough*

I'm not sure if you can or cannot get out of it. Only way to know for sure is to try.

[tallgeese]

I really don't know if there is a way out of it or not. Unfortuanly, this is starting to become an industry standard it seems.

I can see how it's good business but life has too many varibles to lick in for so long, espically with the cost of training these days. If you're lucky, you'll find a school that offers it as an option. That way you can train month to month for a while, see if you like it and later move to a full on year to save coin.