Gmail James **SURNAME** <== email address removed ==>

[celtastars] Immediate start at IH Bogota, Colombia

James <== email address removed ==> 2 September 2009 21:50
To: == yahoo group removed ==
I would like to thank Jonathan for taking the time for replying to the posts made here.  I would also like to apologise for misrepresenting his position and the number of schools he successfully runs.  I would like to reply to some of the points he has made:

I think that you brush off the accusations about the visa a little too easily.  The situation that was created upset many teachers and put teachers under a vast amount of unnecessary stress.  I still do not understand why teachers were not explained the legal position they would be in before they travelled to Colombia.  I think that these actions were extremely irresponsible.

I was clearly mislead and lied to about my legal position in Colombia.  I questioned the student visa when I was told I would be given one and I was told that I could work up to 30 hours a week on it.  This is clearly a lie.  Furthermore the school then asked me to continue the lie (that they had told me) by telling DAS something that was clearly false.

I'm glad that you have clarified the position of the teacher who visited the hospital and was denied treatment.  I am slightly confused as to why it has taken so long to have this made public.  There were a lot of teachers who were extremely concerned by this event and expressed their concern to Alejandro.  Why wasn't a proper notification made to the teachers at the time?  I would also like to ask that if the other points are also just similar misunderstandings could you put me straight on these as well? (by the way eventually teachers were all given receipts by the school proving that their medical insurance had been paid).

I am obviously not in a position to comment on Andy's feelings about his work at IH.  All I can say is that I think he did an excellent job there, teachers were very happy with they way he handled them and once he left their position became a lot worse.  My assumption of exasperation was based on a couple of actions by Andy when I went to him for help with administration issues (I am sorry that I included Andy in my previous post, I was replying to a comment made by the previous poster).  Please note that I left IH Bogota on the same day as Andy and I am only aware of the situation becoming worse from what other teachers have told me.

I think that your attempt at dismissing my assertion that the majority of teachers were upset as merely scandal mongering is a little disappointing. While I was working there I was under the impression that most teachers were a lot angrier than me and at a bit of a loss as to what to do about it.  I can name two teachers that I know were happy at the time and I can name 17 who were not happy (out of 30 and I have written the names down to check the numbers).  I do not know why the teachers who were upset have chosen not to comment more, I guess if you put your head above the parapet...

I also guess many teachers wish to work for other IHLS schools and do not want their names tarred.  I once harboured a desire to work for IH Barcelona, I guess my name is now black listed.  But I feel very strongly about the way I and other teachers were treated by IH Bogota and I feel that it needs to be made public and other teachers need to be warned.

I think I had a better relationship with Alejandro than many teachers and I certainly do not wish him as much ill as some teachers have expressed about him to me.  I have even defended Alejandro to other teachers.  I am aware of the problems IH Bogota had with attracting new customers and everyone involved has done a fantastic job to get the school to the customer base it has now.  However the problem remains that it is not a pleasant working environment, teachers feel that they are treated with contempt and that they are lied to.  A lot needs to be done to rectify these points.

I also do not think that comparing a teacher's mistake with a director's mistake is a fair one.  A director's mistake clearly has a far larger impact.  I'm sure if Alejandro started by apologising to some of the teachers who feel they have been so unjustly treated, a new relationship could be developed.  I would also point out that it is not just one small mistake Alejandro has made but a long list of problems people have had with him - how many mistakes can a teacher make before they lose their job? (please do not infer from this that I want Alejandro to lose his job).

You are clearly very successful and talented at running language schools and I am sure that eventually the problems will be fixed at IH Bogota.  Once that happens I expect it will be a very good place to work.  Until then I would still recommend that teachers look for employment elsewhere.