Question about contracts for martial arts classes

[Becca]

A quality instructor should not need gimmicks to keep students, to me, it just seems like a rip off. Students will always come and go but then again, this is why I teach for the love of martial arts and helping others experience it rather than monetary value.

My sifu uses contracts, but I have never felt any more ripped off that I do with a phone contract. Let's face it, this is a sue happy culture we live in. The contract gives the teacher an out if he has a spong. This type of person can and will sue for discrimination if they are asked to leave. But if they don't abide by the contract... It is also a promise to follow the rules. It gives Sifu a way to weed out those undesirables who are only there to learn how to bully more effectively, ect...

[Jun Fan]

However, I'm getting tired of watching crap ass schools in town be financially succesfull but not actually teach any good martial skill.

On this we certainly agree.

[Jun Fan]

I really defy anyone to show me a successful school that doesn't use contracts and doesn't use EFT biling....

My school. They don't discuss finances with me, but it's apparent that they aren't hurting for money. There are no contracts or automatic billing.

[Becca]

Oh, and using contracts is a sign that you're in it for the money, not a sign that you're in it ONLY for the money. There's a big difference.

Agreed. I have no problem helping my Sifu so's he doesn't need to have any other job but training me, my kids, my fellow students, and most imporantly, himself. That's all he does. teach and train. Without the contracts, he wouldn't be able to do that.

[Becca]

... Think about this, you have someone who is a seasoned martial artist moves to your area and is looking for a place to train. Should he/she have to sign a contract immediately without judging the quality of the training. My direction here is for the schools who have a shut door policy until you sign the contract and will not let you have a free class or watch the class. These people have something to hide...

I, for one, have never seen one like that. I have visited schools were I had to sign a privacy form before being allowed to watch a class, but that just makes sence. There's alot of folks out there with nothing against using a school or teacher's name in vain in order to add some credability, and being able to describe how the classes are conducted is a good way to flamboozle the anwary. The privacy form makes it possible to prosicute said phoney.

[Iron_Eagle_76]

The main point to this thread was to get a sample of how others felt in regards to contracts. Most schools, not all, I have experienced who have contracts tend to focus more on taking your money than giving you quality training. Before anyone starts going postal, I said most, not all. There is nothing wrong with making a profit because no business can exist without one but when profit takes precedent over training it becomes a problem. I do not believe in contracts, never have, never will and will never require my students to sign a contract, but as I said, I do not teach for a living. I hold down a full time job and teach in the evenings for my benefit as much as my students. That being said, I understand the need to profit and keep a school open, so I am not passing any judgement on those who use contracts. If you run a school with quality training and the students accepts this contract, it is a free country and more power to you both. It is more the money generators or "McDojos" I am critisizing. I wanted to make clear what the point of the initial statement was.

[David Jamieson]

well, you'll still need them to sign waivers to ensure that they are fully aware that they risk injury by partaking.

contracts are a sad necessity because of humanities unending ability at transforming magically into a weasel when the topic of paying the bills comes up.

but it's a fact of life that there are many d1cks in this world and that applies even inside the kwoon, dojo, dojang, etc etc