Job Discussion Forums

[JJ711]

Well, I'm not sure if this post will be considered relevant to anyone who browses this forum for pertinent information. I hope so. The subject I am addressing is unscrupulous job posters. Personally, I wish that recruiters, agents, and others who demonstrate a lack of integrity would not be allowed to advertise jobs on Dave's ESL job board. Perhaps it would lessen the number of problems and heartaches that have resulted from seeking jobs in China.
My case in point is the so-called 'Campus Earth' organization, which is currently using the China Job Board, and presents itself as follows: "Campus Earth.cn, known by its Chinese name Shanghai Tang Yuan, is a language and culture training academy dedicated to top quality language education. We work with the Shanghai public school system to select the best ESL teachers from across China and the world to participate in our program.."
I was communicating with this organization (via e-mail). I had already sent my curriculum vita, and the person representing Campus Earth expressed (in my subjective view) great interest in hiring me. Then, she asked me to send a recent photo. I signed heavily to myself. Whenever I get this request, the job disappears. Without going into much detail, I will state that I am an American with dark skin (okay; enough said). I chose a photo of myself taken in Beijing (when I was teaching at PKU). Sure enough, I got a message from her, telling me that there were no jobs available. Note that this organization is supposedly recruiting teachers for all of the Shanghai public schools, and had just (minutes before) asked me if I was interested in teaching in Shanghai.
So, based on innumerable experiences with recruiters and the like, my conclusion is that a lot of the bad experiences written about and read in this forum could be avoided, if disreputable individuals and organizations could not post job advertisements. If anyone would like to make an intelligent comment to this post, I am willing to read it.

[stillnosheep]

I totally agree.

Not only is it out of order of Dave's to continue to accept advertising revenue from such a blatently rascist organisation, it is also out of order for dave's to attempt to censor information about bad schools and recruiters that advertise here.

Naming and shaming is one of the very few tools available to individual EFL teachers. There are so many shady outfits out there and the more info that is posted about them the better.

[eslstudies]

I'm pleased your post is still up.
Posting this experience on:
http://www.chinaschoolreview.net/ will help alert others to this organisation. They would claim, of course, that they are only a conduit, and in fact it is their client schools that are racist b'astards. I'd say if you carry out racist instructions, that makes you one of them...........all the way down the line, if you get my drift.

[JJ711]

I just want to say that I no longer feel alone in China, as is usually the case. I usually had the impression that foreigners in China pass each other like ships in the night. It's refreshing to hear from others who affirm the reality of struggling with problems thousands of miles from one's homeland. I greatly appreciate the two comments posted so far, and I will try to use them in my constant battle to maintain a sane perspective about this teaching business in China. Also, I have registered with "Nate's China School Review", and posted a news story about the matter.

[Steppenwolf]

Although I can perfectly understand your feelings - in fact I empathise with you! - I don't see in what manner the described practice could be called "illegal"; unfair yes, illegitimate, perhaps yes too, but "illegal"? n

They would be illegal if they
- didn't respect China's laws;
- had no business licence;
- cheated FTs,

to name but three examples. It seems to me this organisation does nothing of either sort though it discriminates against jobseekers of ethnic backgrounds other than white - unfair, as I said before, but I can't see why this should be "illegal" in China - illegal perhaps in a western country but widely practised throughout all of Asia!

The same happens in HONG KONG, and there it often victimises ethnic CHINESE (and, of course, Indians who have a big grudge against the education system there because of racism).

The organisation is beholden to its customers who in turn rely on the opinions of Chinese parents; we allknow these opinions are not well-informed...

[InTime]

1st...I was very pleased with my C.E. assignment...a well-respected H.S. ourside Shanghai, where I had my own room in the livtaty, and was able to do Movie Magic.

2md...Yes...there was a C.E. thread a while back, when I was teaching for them.
"Ethically challenged" is one way of putting it. My fellow FT continued there for a 2nd semester and a summer program. More horror stories from him and other FTs.

From my Yangshuo base, I signed one contract, checking the "x" for the option stating I'll use the 2000 RMB housing fee to find my own apt. In their Shanghai office, I signed the same contract. I told them I'd stay at the school until I find an apt. They didn't say anything in the office. Later, on the phone/Email, they informed me that I'd chosen the option for 'will pay 2000 RMB to schook for room on campus..."

5 weeks later when they finally showed me the contract, (they said thet had to wait for the oss to stamp it), the "X" for the "will pay" option had been typed in!!! Uh... I didn't do any typing in the office.

So...for the whole semester I was paying 2000 RMB for a room on campus. Local Chinese teachers were paying 80 RMB/month.

If not illegal, then...they should be criminalized.

Of course...there are many worse cases out there in the hinterlands.
But this is Shanghai.
And..."Campus Earth" is such a progressive name...

[JJ711]

[Steppenwolf]

Read that part of the constitution carefully: it says China "protects interests" of foreign nationals but it doesn't confer upon them the status of equality; this in fact it doesn't as you can easily find out if you engage in business (try to take a Chinese partner to court; or try to divorce a Chinese national in China!).

The "nationalities" that do enjoy "equality" are CHINESE nationalities, a.k.a. "minorities".

They wil occasionally supply ample proof of inequal treatment in spite of legal claims to the contrary!

[Rooster]

"The People's Republic of China protects the lawful rights and interests of foreigners within Chinese territory, and while on Chinese territory foreigners must abide by the law of the People's Republic of China..." "

As George Orwell wrote - "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

I'm sure a few sheep out there will consider the following observation racist, but it is only reality, many Chinese people consider non-whites animals.

Considering that Asians aren't white/caucasian, I wonder what are they, especially when they get on the bus?