Sue Your School if You Can't Get a Job!

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by SurfDoctor, Feb 16, 2012.

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  1. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I think I remember a post about this a while back, but this was so interesting that I thought I would bring it up again. We all talk about that fact that many online schools do not warn students that their degree will not land them a job; the schools just take their money. Here, law school grads have filed a class action against the same school that taught them how to file a class action suit in the first place. Ironic, isn't it?


    A Bunch of Young Lawyers are Suing Their Law Schools Because They Don't Have Jobs - Yahoo! Finance
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Indeed, it's like being stabbed through the heart by your fencing student.
     
  3. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I went to click the "Like" button for that, and then remembered we don't have that option.
     
  4. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    This is truely sad. Next thing you know all schools will get sued because "my liberal arts degree did not get me $100K for my first job!!!"
     
  5. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    The old joke;

    Engineering majors say "This is how we do things".

    Sociology majors say "This is why we do things".

    Business majors say "This is how to make money by doing things".

    History majors say "This is why the things we did either worked, or didn't work".

    Liberal arts majors say "Would you like fries with that?"
     
  6. PilgrimPastor

    PilgrimPastor New Member

    Indeed... What ever happened to the joy of learning? :stooges:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2012
  7. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    You could sue me for being ugly, but it doesn't mean it'll result in anything. I wouldn't be too worried about this. Honestly, if you're smart enough to get into law school, but not smart enough to realize the market is pretty crappy right now, perhaps that says something about you... Book Sense - Check; Common Sense - Not so much.

    -Matt
     
  8. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Never heard that one before.
     
  9. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Matt, you shouldn't say that about yourself. That's so sad. We would never sue you just because you are ugly. :pokey:
     
  10. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    It is because you just look so good?
     
  11. eilla05

    eilla05 New Member

    Not surprising really when you consider we are becoming a nation of people who look for any way we can to blame someone else for our mistakes/stupidity/ignorance/problems you name it.
     
  12. StefanM

    StefanM New Member

    Let me be the devil's advocate.

    The students are alleging fraud in employment statistics. If the school was misrepresenting its employment data in order to look better to prospective students, the school should be required to cease such activity. The issue isn't necessarily just about getting money refunded, as the article mentions. It's about creating changes in the system to have a more honest, transparent reporting of job data.
     
  13. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Sure, then do not accept the money and put it toward a homeless shelter.
     
  14. StefanM

    StefanM New Member

    To be fair, suing costs money as well, and they aren't likely to experience a windfall anyway.

    If the school did publish fraudulent data in order to convince people to attend, why should they not be required to pay up?
     
  15. Cyber

    Cyber New Member

    It's hard to enjoy learning it cost a fortune to do it.
     
  16. Cyber

    Cyber New Member

    I think we will see more lawsuits from students who graduate with very expensive degrees (from online-only schools) that can't even land them an adjunct gig at another online school. Considering that the practice of hiring professors and making them teach subjects in which they have no clue about (the argument is that they are just graders) is becoming more widespread at online-only schools, students could argue that their reason for not getting a job (after racking up student loans) is because the requisite knowledge that should ordinarily be imparted from a professor based on his/her in-field expertise was lacking (we are hearing more cases where professors can't answer questions); hence, the schools took their money but deliberately short-changed them with unqualified professors who couldn't contribute.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 17, 2012
  17. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I'm sure there are some online schools that fit the description you provide above. Which are you talking about?

    This is certainly not the case at the school I am attending. All of the online teachers are assistant professors who are quite knowledgeable and willing to help. Same with the profit school where I earned my master's online; almost every instructor was knowledgeable and helpful.
     
  18. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    What is this based on? According to RA guidelines I thought instructors had to have XX number of graduate credits to even teach a subject never mind the required real experience most employers look for. Have you applied for any adjunct positions and gotten hired when you were not qualified to teach that subject? Do you teach at all?
     
  19. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I agree, for the most part. One would like to see the school provide employment statistics, but it's really not their job to watch the employment market. I believe it's the student's responsibility to conduct their own due diligence research before they embark on a degree program.
     
  20. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    I thought history majors said, "This is how things worked in the past."
     

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