View Full Version : NOVA reaches settlement with former teacher
PopCulturePooka
12-13-2005, 12:43 AM
NOVA reaches settlement with former teacher over fraternizing with student
Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 07:07 JST
OSAKA — NOVA Co agreed out of court to pay 400,000 yen to a former employee who sued the major language school after his allowance was cut due to his association with a female student, informed sources said Saturday.
The Australian former teacher was employed at the Osaka-based school in October 1999 and promoted three years later to a position in which he was eligible to receive a 20,000 yen monthly allowance, according to the complaint he had filed with the Osaka District Court.
But NOVA demoted him in February last year for what it termed inappropriate ties with a specific student and cut the allowance.
The man, who quit the school last August, filed the suit in May this year seeking some 1.8 million yen, including compensation and unpaid allowances, arguing that the school interfered in his private life.
Judge Atsushi Shimoda at the district court urged the two sides to settle the case amicably. They reached the settlement last month.
NOVA prohibits its teachers from fraternizing with its students. The Osaka Bar Association recommended that it eliminate the rule last year after receiving a complaint from a former teacher who was dismissed for associating with a student.
400,000yen? Haha sucker. My mate got fired from nova and wrangled 4 months salary from them.
I just hope the guy got some good stuff from his Japanese student. $4000 is just not enough money for the trouble he went through.
EDIT: LOL, he did settle. The title says so. I wasn't paying attention.
Pierrot le Fou
12-13-2005, 03:27 AM
He didn't get a court decision. He made a settlement. For chump change. He should have sued their f'ing pants off. Damned half-assing Nova teachers.
MNJetter
12-13-2005, 03:54 AM
Does anybody know exactly what the "no associating with students" rule is like in Nova? Are you not allowed to date students? Or just not allowed to socialize at all?
If that's the case (either way, I guess), I thought that was illegal in Japan. If I know my labor laws right, companies aren't permitted to interfere in non-work time like that. Am I wrong?
PopCulturePooka
12-13-2005, 04:12 AM
The rule is actually NO Socializing. At all.
If a student asks you to play basketball with them because you said you like b-ball, you must say no.
If you are after a decent dentist, and your student is a very good dentist with high level english, tough tits. Can't go there.
If you say you are having trouble with the bank and a student volunteers to go with you and translate, you must refuse.
And so on.
A student of mine was a judge, retired. He was getting some ceremony where he would be conferred by the emperor or something.
He gave a written, formal invitiation to my friend, a fellow teacher, to attend. She had helped him a lot with English for the past few years. Our AT found out and said she had to say no and throw out the invite. The Area Manager caught wind and came down to our school and said she can't go, its against the rules. Nova's shit rule was so toughly enforced that my friend was expected to decline an official invitation to something very important to an old man.
Of course she went anyway, and Nova never knew.
That's just assinine of NOVA. (Only one "I" in asinine, btw) Is there a rule that prohibits JETs from dating their students?
Invictus
12-13-2005, 05:13 AM
I would seriously NOT try it, at least at my school. Since I'm quite young, I think they're suspicious of my having an eye on the students. If they got wind of anything, I know I'd be out the door faster than I could say "Jack Robinson." ;)
MNJetter
12-13-2005, 05:14 AM
Considering that most JETs exclusively teach at the junior high and elementary school levels, there is not only a rule against it, there is a law against that. :D
I figuered at much, at my age (22), when I get a chance at JET it's probably better to hit on the younger teachers than the students.
Invictus
12-13-2005, 05:44 AM
Sadly, at my school there are no younger teachers. :(
I do, however, teach at a high school, so most of my students are legal, so to speak. It would still be a profoundly bad idea to try and sneak anything past the BoE, though. :P
Sadly, at my school there are no younger teachers. :(
I do, however, teach at a high school, so most of my students are legal, so to speak. It would still be a profoundly bad idea to try and sneak anything past the BoE, though. :P
A bit of thrill always boosts the excitement in a relationship, know what I mean? Besides, if you ever get caught, then somehow convince the gal {or brainwash, either one) to ditch Japan and come with you. A story to tell your grandkids around the fire place, for sure.
Pierrot le Fou
12-13-2005, 05:49 AM
Just remember, no sex with your students before New Years. No matter how much protection you use, you don't want a haafu baby popping out while you're still in the country.
erbiumfiber
12-13-2005, 06:36 AM
And, please, try not to kill your students. Like the teacher did at the cram school recently (stabbed to death a 12-year-old...). The teacher himself was a college student, only about 22...he thought the kid would ruin his life so he had to "get rid" of her...scary stuff.
Rogue_7
12-13-2005, 01:51 PM
yeah, thats the nice thing about geos. You are supposed to socialize with your students. The only rules are really, try not to be the one so drunk you barf, and if you end up in a relationship and then have to end it, do it nicely so she won't cancel her contract! Other than that, its game on.
Stele
12-13-2005, 03:09 PM
I really hope you just misread something Pooka.
You said "400,000yen? Haha sucker. My mate got fired from nova and wrangled 4 months salary from them."
This guy had a 20,000 yen per month salary * 4 months = 80,000 yen. I'd say 400,000 is pretty good if all he could normally get from them was 80,000
Justin Ellis
12-13-2005, 04:04 PM
Yeah, wouldn't 20,000 yen be around 175 dollars per month? I've always read that NOVAs aren't particularly well paid, but Jesus...
nice gaijin
12-13-2005, 06:00 PM
It said that his promotion allowed him an extra allowance of 20k yen per month, so it'd be like a bonus on top of his already meager salary. I suppose the settlement is probably more than the allowance he was shortchanged for, but still a pittance considering the trouble he went through to get it, and likely most of it went to his attorney.
PopCulturePooka
12-13-2005, 09:15 PM
I really hope you just misread something Pooka.
You said "400,000yen? Haha sucker. My mate got fired from nova and wrangled 4 months salary from them."
This guy had a 20,000 yen per month salary * 4 months = 80,000 yen. I'd say 400,000 is pretty good if all he could normally get from them was 80,000
Reading for the win.
He got 20,000yen a month raise. That wasn't his whole pay per month. A Nova teacher whose been there 3 years generally pulls 300,000 a month.
He barely got more than a months salary in return for his troubles.
MNJetter
12-13-2005, 10:31 PM
What's geos? I've never heard of them.
Kyoushu
12-13-2005, 10:40 PM
http://www.geoscareer.com/
Google for the win.
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