ComplaintsforCreative Arts & Athletics

• Initial Complaint

  05/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The owner of business continually would berate daughter for coming forward with bullying accusations that were occurring, calling her a tattle tale and please just sit down and keep quite. if she continued to be a pest then would kick her out of program. Had parent conferences regarding the issue and they deny and claim all bullying was being addressed.. same continued to the point that daughter had anxiety attacks nightly about returning to their afterschool care. Dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and loss of sleep. To the point of crying her self to sleep asking us not to send her back. Brings in 2 financial resolutions needed that ownership declines to cooperate with.. 1)Claiming that we are breaking contract and demanding 4 weeks of continuing to pay. ($95/week), after being forced to find services elsewhere. Claim we are responsible for 4 more payments (already withdrew 1) or will sent to collections courts 2) they have 2 pay choices A) $90/week during school year and will increase to $120/week in summer camp June 2022, OR B) $95/week year round to avoid increase in summer 2022.. We chose option B. So we are not using the summer camp upcoming in 2022 so the overage of $5 for past 37 weeks ($185) was told will not be refunded or reimbursed. we even offer to use that $185 to offset the claimed fee for breaking contract and that was denied.

  Business response

  05/10/2022

  As always, we follow the agreed upon and signed contract that the Grays completed which states they agree to submit a 4 week notice when time to withdraw.  They have attended multiple years and signed multiple times.  This is not news to them.  As of 5/10/22, the Grays' account is in arrears.  If the balance is not paid we will seek a complaint for money owed as per standard procedure.  We do not consider it fair to give this family special consideration when others fulfill their contracts.  We received ***************** message that they are moving and it would be hard to afford the payments, however, we do simply follow the contract the Grays signed and agreed to. 

  It is common for us to extend payment time for those in hardship and we do offer this to families from time to time, but we always follow the contract to be fair to all parties. 

  In regards to the bullying topic, we have several families that have expressed concern that the Grays daughter was bullying their children.  Many parents of current and former students affected by their daughter are upset seeing **************** comments on the internet as they have a much different experience than what he is portraying.  I hope the Grays can take into consideration the feelings of these families and move forward with an increased level of dignity.  We wish them the best.
  

  Customer response

  05/11/2022

   
  Complaint: 17171947
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I feel we do not owe anything to *** and the ********************/Creative ************* We were forced to leave do to the negligent actions and words of *** towards my daughter. The only outcome that would be pleasing at this point would be for them to learn from this and for us to own nothing moving forward. They are stating we still own for 3 weeks, as I have paid the one following us pulling our daughter from the program. We also paid $5 extra a week, since the first week of school, to cover the summer program that we will not be attending.

  I am not sure why the sudden change in how Haven was treated or why but it started in late summer. Haven came to the teachers about a bully. They would blow her off or *** would say "enough nonsense". The bullying continued so I went to *** and was told "that can't be true, she's the nicest kid we have here. She wouldn't pick on Haven like that." We moved to their Dance program at the start of the school year and got away from the bully. Things were fine for most of the year. I would be informed of little things and would address them with her at home. Come Spring, another girl started picking on Haven. Other kids started calling her fat and accusing her of doing and saying things. ***** went to the teachers and *** and was told "enough of this nonsense! If you don't stop, i'm going to ban you from all of our programs!" "Stop fricking stirring the pot!" THESE instances were NEVER brought up to me. Teachers didn't say anything and neither did Haven. Weeks went by and ***** started developing stomach aches on school nights. Started getting mini panic attacks and begging not to go anymore. I found her crying one day and found out EVERYTHING that had been going on. I confronted *** by phone about a month or two ago. We talked for over 30 minutes. She mentioned how both girls that ***** went to them about, were removed from the program. Admitted to the things and threats said to Haven, and that her stomach issues are probably her subconscious guilt for what she has done. I asked so what has she done cause I haven't heard anything from anyone. She said rolling her eyes at another student, saying mean things to others, saying she won't be their friend, etc. I asked if she saw and heard these and she said no, it was friends coming forward. Said even her own daughter never saw or heard these but it was because ***** is so sneaky and must do it/say it when her and her daughter are not around. I asked, so you are yelling, threatening my daughter over hear say? She agreed. Didn't see anything wrong with this. Never saw anything wrong with denying ********* right to defend herself or get friends to come forward in her defense. I asked "Do you want us to leave the program? I am not understanding why this sudden change but I really feel like you want us to leave." She hesitated and said no and that she will watch Haven more closely. After the call I realized she did not see anything she has done or said to this point as wrong so I messaged her that we would not go to summer camp. Asked what I needed to do or if pay needed to change. She read the message and never replied. Days go on and ***** said everything seemed better, almost ****** nice to her. Then I pick her up the end of April and she starts crying. A girl was talking in line in the parking lot. ***** turned to the girl to remind her of the rules. *** asked the group who was talking and everyone said ***** and the girl. *** went up to Haven and said "Just as I thought, Who are you going to try to blame this time for your behavior?"

  ***** went from LOVING the program and BEGGING to go, to begging to not ever go back. She lost a lot of self confidence and is still battling some stomach issues. Thankfully it isn't nightly now that we are gone. I don't believe we should have to pay anything further when we were forced to pull her to protect her from not only children picking on her but adults (***) picking on her. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Business response

  05/12/2022

  First, I have never spoken to ********************* face to face or by phone regarding any of this.  I have communicated with the mother.  We have had problems with their daughter bullying and being unkind to other girls, which was always countered with the daughter's denial.  I have had several parents complain over the years about their daughter's behavior. All of my staff members have witnessed it and I know as a parent it is hard to accept.  ***, the mother, spoke extensively in our public lobby on numerous occasions throughout the years about how she was bullied as a child, about abuse she went through, her marital situation,  retreat for therapy she was going on...lots of background information.  Many of our staff heard these conversations as well and everyone was sensitive to her situation.  However, I think this makes it hard for ************* to accept that her daughter was indeed bullying some of our girls.  She even said that she overcompensated based on her experiences.  We were all empathetic toward this.  In her efforts to ensure no one would ever bully her child she has failed to see when her child is indeed exhibiting bullying behaviors.  Several parents have even asked me why we let her stay in the program. The other girls were super patient and forgiving but I think they have grown tired of her behavior and it showed.  ***** most definitely was feeling like some of the girls didn't like her as they were beginning to not tolerate her treatment of them.

   

   

  As far as us brushing aside their daughter's complaints of someone bullying her.  The last time Haven came to me complaining that a particular girl said something mean to her, I asked if it happened that same day.  She resonded with a yes. I asked again, she said yes just a few minutes ago.  That child was absent that day. I told her not to come to me with things like that.  

   

   

  I addressed their daughter's behavior as it was much worse the last few weeks.  For example, in the parking lot, I did say to her, "You cannot say those things here and be a part of our program if you behave like that" in response to her telling another child "I hate you".  All the other times teachers had to address situations where their daughter used similar language or was isolating particular girls on purpose.  In full transparency, I have only seen their daughter maybe two or three times in the last month as I was out of the country, then on two additional business trips within the US this past month.  I do know that I am not in any way sorry for addressing bullying behavior in any instance including this one.  Several parents and our full staff see things in a completely different way than the Grays.  Several parents have expressed relief that the ****** daughter is no longer around their children.  The customer is not always right and sometimes children learn how to be bullies by watching models at home.  I am sorry that ************ doesn't want to pay the bill, but bullying me by spewing mispelled and half thought out posts all over the internet doesn't work on me.  It is not about the money, it's about the bullying.  I am sorry the move to a new house has you all in a financial bind as ************* shared with me.   As previously stated we happily work with people in financial distress in extension on payment times.

  Again, I wish them the best.  As stated previously we simply follow the agreed upon written contract as we do for everyone. If the account is current I consider this closed, if in arrears we will retain the right to proceed with collection for money owed if our company chooses.  We also reserve all legal rights in regard to liable and defamation and our attorney has pulled everything published by the Grays from the internet with time  stamps. 

   

  It should also be noted that our company received an email from the BBB, which we had not before to my knowledge, on the very same day that the initial complaint was made regarding membership and its protection.  Please!  An antiquated company trying to remain viable with pressuring people into expensive membership fees. That doesn't work on me either.

  As far as Haven, I have always tried my best to make her feel more confident and comfortable in her own skin.  I know hurt people hurt and no child is simply a bully or wrong, there is always a reason for the behavior.  Our staff has shown much patience and empathy over and over and we see the good in her.  I hope she gets everything she needs and we wish her nothing but good.

  As far as the parents, when something doesn't go your way and a man's initial response is to tell a woman and I quote, "this is how it's going to go" remember your daughter is watching.  You are a model.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩