Job Discussion Forums

[Baozi man]

Permission to work outside is routinely denied by many schools. Some FAOs will tell you they can't give permission but a lot of people do it, just don't let others know. Other FAOs will say that they really don't want you to do it.

Consider the following: A teacher with a big heart and good intentions accepted a job at another university.The job was arranged by Chinese teachers at his contract college. They had friends at another university who needed an FT.

While at the other job, he was attacked by a [probably] drunken student. He defended himself. He could have done a great deal more damage to the student but elected to just put him on the floor and restrain him. The student complained to his parents who went to the PSB. When the teacher was brought before the investigating officer, the first question the officer asked was not about the attack but rather why was the FT working at a school other than the one with which he had a contract.

Ultimately, the teacher, who in some respects, did have an attitude problem, was expelled from the country. His attitude problem was understandable. After all, he was attacked.

This teacher was given no support or even a resource person at the school where he was freelancing. He did, somehow, get paid.

It is possible to get permission from your school to work outside. Some FAOs will privately give you even written permission without letting others know what has happened. While this may help, it still could cost you your job if word gets back to the school principal who has not been informed that you have permission to work outside.

It's unlikely that the FAO will inform him that he/she gave you permission in the secret meetings which discuss your fate. You will simply not have your contract renewed or, possibly, be terminated.

It's a good idea to have something in writing, regardless of the verbal agreement or instructions you receive regarding this matter. If there is a problem, non verifiable verbal understandings will be worthless. You will be bound by the written agreement.

So if you do take an outside job in explicit violation of your agreement not to, be aware that there are possible unexpected ramifications which may end up costing you more than you are earning on your night flights.

[Miajiayou]

Why was "he" attacked? While the logical part of my brain does tell me it could happen with no reason, I know many people who were attacked by Chinese, both at their work and on the street. I am always left shaking my head at how culturally insensitive and provoking the expat's behavior seems to me.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I was briefly attacked in 2009 for politely declining to drink baijiu, even explaining I I was on medication and couldn't drink. So, not all issues here on violence against foreigners in China is related to cultural insensitivity.

Anyways, the very fact that the teacher was attacked by a student and the parents backed up the kid and the teacher was thrown out while the kid probably got no punishment at all demonstrates the growing trend of pompous self-entitlement in this country.

[Non Sequitur]

My best privates have come from FAO staff who officially frowned on it and upheld the contract to the letter.
I normally do Saturday mornings at a language school. There's no admin around to ask where I'm off to.
I did 6 weeks one summer at a language school mid way between Dalian and Shenyang.
Lived with the school owners and took my 'weekend' on Monday and Tuesday back in my Dalian apartment.
My best 6 weeks in PRC without doubt.

[big_big_bang_theory_fan]

Break the law, suffer the consequences. 'nuff said

[dean_a_jones]

[Miajiayou]

[tomhume89]

I was also briefly attacked a few weeks ago for having the sheer audacity to be bumped into by a man carrying a sack of beans.

[choudoufu]

i was mildly acquainted with a teacher who had been jumped by
half a dozen chinese guys in a ktv. he says he was minding his
own business - they attacked him for no reason.

strange, though....the exact same thing happened to him in japan
and korea and thighland.

why are asian dudes so mean to innocent teachers?

******
didn't mean to change the subject...op, you're loading the story.

"big heart and good intentions" changes things? does that mean
he was working for free? 'attacked' by a "[probably] drunken student."
probably? according to whom? the jerk that got deported?

all we got here is a second-hand story based on the claims of a
convicted crinimal and deportee. and we all know everyone in
prison is innocent, nicht wahr?

[Baozi man]

Chou, Why would you refer to the person mentioned here as a "jerk?" I spent a lot of time with him and thought he was quite a decent fellow. I called him big hearted because he used his own money to help students. The money he earned teaching "outside" he also used to help students. He gave cash prizes from his own pocket to students who completed high quality projects

He started a program in a university which taught students practical skills, skills which they might use to earn an honest living in a creative field.

I speculatd that the student was drunk. The FT was quite a large guy, not fat, but big, a former martial arts instructor. A rational person would be unlikely to provoke a violent confrontation with him. I've had very few experiences which would lead me to believe a local Chinese would ever "have my back" in a troublesome situation.

He would. Probably yours too. Might be wise to consider who your real friends are.

[choudoufu]

oh. you 'speculated.'

and it gets better! a'big' dude and former martial arts instructor
gets physical with a puny chinese student.

you still cannot understand why the chinese authorities would ask
him to leave?

[Lobster]

Just because the FT was a big guy and the student was puny doesn't mean that the student couldn't be the aggressor. Actually, I never saw any mention that the student was puny. Who knows? Too little info. It does seem however that some people have an attitude that gets them into frequent physical altercations, while other people have no problems.

That being said, I don't think that a foreigner involved in an altercation would get the benefit of the doubt or equal and fair treatment. Even if this FTs actions were reasonable, the student's parents may have had the power to slant things so he got deported. Still, I don't think it's fair to characterize him as a "convicted criminal and deportee". I highly doubt he received a trial or was given much chance to defend his actions.

While we're at it. Let's not confuse law with morality. They are absolutely not the same thing.

RED

[choudoufu]

was the student puny?
was the ft convicted?
was he deported?

jeepers, i don't know. i was speculatin'.

[Baozi man]

Chou, Perhaps you are they type of person who lets others physically abuse you. I can understand that. My acquaintance, who you refer to as a jerk, isn't that type of person.

I will admit, however, that he has been attacked twice by students. That does seem strange. Some people are better at descalating situations than other people are. Probably in most cases, situations which become violent might not have become violent had one of the parties behaved differently.

Anyway, the violence was not the first thing he was asked about. He was asked why he was working at someplace other than his sponsoring school.

That was the point of the thread. Working outside does present unexpected risks that can lead to bad outcomes. In the end, he was expelled from the country. I'm not sure if will be able to return or not.

[jibbs]