ComplaintsforThe Salon Professional Academy

• Initial Complaint

  07/27/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The Salon Professional Academy otherwise known as TSPA in Whitehouse, TX. While appearances are inviting and tours are exciting, This place is full of empty promises and many lies. This is a place of great bypcrisy. This is a place of poor management, inconsist of training/staff, the lies/lack of the education you will receive and not to mention the intimidation/threat of being suspended/terminated/in my case kicked out. Being a student instructor at TSPA with over fifteen years experiment in the beauty industry. I was told I don't know how to cut hair, disrespectful when asked question(s) (just standing up for what you paid for) also not a good role model for ladies to follow. After which the Director of Education and her instructor assist/collaborated against me to discredit/contradict my work with the student(s) present. Which you sign a paper vowing not to undermind any student and/or instructor in a negative way. TSPA is like a cult you have money they will stress/intimidate staff/students if you speak out of any of their wrong/distasteful actions. Being a student instructor who started there part time in February 2021 needing 500 hour to complete was kicked out with only having 335 hours at hand. As a student instructor assiting a student with a client (the same method used as with other students/instructors since March 2021) to see the wonderful job this student has done using a camera just like previous times. I was kicked out for taking a picture for the client. When I questioned why I'm being kicked out the director of education said I'm very disrespectful/loud/outraged to her and her staff for questioning her.

  

  Business response

  08/24/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2021/07/28) */ Our decision to dismiss the student from the student instructor program was not taken lightly. When she enrolled for the program, we agreed to sponsor her and allow her to attend tuition-free in exchange for a minimum of one-year employment with our company. As a student instructor, it was her responsibility to instruct the students on what they needed to do to become successful in a salon environment. It is our duty to reprimand and teach the instructor trainee how to follow those same rules in which is expected to be followed by our regularly employed instructors. The Director of Education (DOE) observes all employed instructors and student instructors to ensure they are instructing and teaching our students appropriately. She was held to the same standards as every student instructor before her and was expected to properly follow policies and procedures set forth by TSPA. We have a strict no cell-phone policy during teaching hours unless for emergency. However, we do allow our students to take photos with their tablets for marketing purposes to build their clientele and gain salon industry experience. This student instructor was warned several times about having her cell phone in the Salon Training Area. It is the duty and job of the DOE to teach and hold the student instructors to the same standards as the instructors, so they set a good example for the other students. If the students or instructors aren't allowed to have their phones in the Salon Training Area, then why would we allow the student instructors? We as Educators must set the right examples and follow the rules put in place for our students to teach them professionalism and to have respect for us. Instead of taking the time to teach the student how to take photos of her client's hair and post it on social media with her tablet, the instructor trainee took it upon herself to take the photo with her personal cell phone which is not allowed. We have talked to her about the cell phone issue several times. The Director of Education (DOE) also had observed her watching a video on her cell phone and showing it to another instructor in The Salon Training Area where cell phones are prohibited unless approved by the DOE. When the DOE asked the instructor trainee about her cell phone, she claimed she was just checking the time. Because the DOE had seen the student instructor watching the video on the phone while in the student salon training area, she felt it was disrespectful of the instructor trainee to be dishonest to her about what she was doing with her cell phone. Honesty and integrity are especially important to our culture at TSPA. Therefore, after careful consideration, we felt that if she could not follow directions, abide by policies and procedures, be honest and respectful as a student instructor, she would not be a fit for our company in the future as an employed instructor. We felt we would be doing both ourselves and the instructor trainee a disservice to allow her to continue earning a free education when we would not be taking her on as an employee based on her performance as a student instructor. We cannot release hours that was not clocked legally. It is against the law. We can only release exactly what she has clocked. Her clocked hours have already been reported. I have copied our cell phone policy directly out of our student handbook and pasted below for you to review. I have also uploaded a complete copy of our handbook if you would like to review it. PHONE USAGE The Academy phones are not for personal calls. Cell phone usage in the classroom and student salon training area for educational purposes are allowed only with approval of your educator. Personal cell phone use is restricted to breaks or lunch periods. Cell phones must be turned off or silenced while in The Academy. Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2021/08/10) */ ***Document Attached*** The student instructor paid no tuition. The $580 was only for the kit and books that can be used at any Academy in the state of Texas or any other. Her tuition for $4,835 was waived at the time of her enrollment. Her enrollment fees of $350 was also waived. Her total scholarship for fees and tuition that was waived is $5185. I am attaching a copy of pages that she signed from the enrollment agreement that clearly shows that the enrollment fees were waived, she received a tuition scholarship and her kit items are non refundable if they are used or open. The only thing that she is able to be reimbursed for per TDLR policies is the diploma holder which is $11.90. She never received it. As far as the hours being released, we have released her actual clocked hours to date. However we are not allowed to release any hours that have not been clocked. This is not our choice. It is a rule mandated by TDLR. I feel like we can't always catch everyone on their phones but as a student instructor it was her duty to follow the policies and set a good example for the other students that look up to her for guidance and instruction. After all, we were training her to be a leader. We would never harass anyone. She was talked to several times about the phone situation. If the other students or instructors in the photos that she provided were on their phones, it is a matter of time before they get caught by the Director of Education and is reprimanded also. The Instructor in the photo is no longer with our company either and the student in the photo will be reprimanded. We carry a strict policy on this and are trying real hard to enforce it. Some may slip through the cracks every now and then, but I can assure you they will get caught eventually. Consumer Response /* (4200, 16, 2021/08/12) */ August 10, 2021 Complaint# XXXXXXXX In response to the business decision to dismiss ***** from the program my counter response is as follows: 1. TSPA says they did not receive a check ***** (which was cashed) the fees and supplies which should be new shows that I didn't sign off which means I never got them. 2. I understand there's a cell policy but never enforced. I requested to review any/all documentation taken of disciplinary action(s) and none was given. I have recorded meeting(s) with ******* (owner)and ***** (Dir of Education), during these meetings there was no mention about my cell phone. The DOE is seen on her cell phone without a student or client. This was only brought up when a staff's unprofessional conduct towards me was brought to the DOE's attention late June. After which I was kicked out of the program. This being nothing more than retaliation, discrimination and harassment for standing up for what's right and fair. 3. There was no instruction or guidance for being a student instructor as was told upon signing this contract. I was self taught with having no guidance being at this school which was short staff with much confusion, unorganized, unprofessional and dishonest. In conclusion, I have always followed policies and procedures along with showing respect, courtesy, and helping others in a professional matter. TSPA in Whitehouse TX, has shown dishonesty, unprofessionalism, lacks integrity, and has failed to refund my money. TSPA in Whitehouse TX has not come to a prompt solution and continues to be dishonest. ***** ******** Business Response /* (4000, 20, 2021/08/23) */ I do owe her for the Diploma Holder that she did not receive. It was $11.90. I am attaching a copy of the check being mailed to her. Her book is digital and was assigned to her only and is non refundable. She will be able to use it at any school she attends to finish her hours. The digital access is good for two years. Also, I am only able to release the hours that she has clocked per TDLR Rules. I am also attaching a copy of her hours that was entered into TDLR that she clocked at our school.

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