Job Discussion Forums

[etx]

Oh wow! I just saw this on the internet:

LYON, (AP) -- Interpol revealed today that numerous private international schools of English, known as TEFL or ESL schools, are under scrutiny for involvement in human trafficking.

"We see a very similar pattern to some of the criminal organizations that recruit domestics or constructions workers from poor countries," said an Interpol representative today. "Teachers go abroad and are promised many things, but given miserable living conditions and salaries that barely allow them to survive. Passports are occasionally taken away and the ESL teacher finds they are not legally employed. Stories of worse kinds of abuse are not unheard of."

"Often the schools themselves have no academic standards whatsoever," reported one source, a 35-year-old American who claimed himself to have been trafficked by an ESL school and wishes to remain unnamed. "They are simply mills to take money from students, and often tax dodges or money laundries at that. The teacher is a disposable resource, and often threatened and bullied. Physical harm is not unheard of."

Prosecution for human trafficking can be difficult due to jurisdictional disputes, but Interpol says it is seeking cooperation from all countries to help control human trafficking in ESL, which they estimate affects tens of thousands of victims every year and produces profits in the billions.

MOD EDIT

Wow! This could be the start of a new era in TEFL!

[spiral78]

I have to say that a cursory reading of the different boards here can paint a pretty scary picture of EFL.

For example:


http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=95471

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=90582&start=0

I would be the last to tell people not to get into the field. But there are some ways to be more sure that you will be safe and not (too much) exploited, including:

If possible, take a TEFL course in the country where you want to start teaching. TEFL courses in Anglophone countries all-too-often paint overly-rosy pictures of EFL. If you're in-country for training, you have immediate access to teachers already working there on a large scale. Much easier to get real info.

Be 100% sure you've got enough of a financial cushion ALWAYS to get yourself out of trouble, and out of the country if worst comes to worst. I've seen expats standing on streetcorners begging for enough coins to phone home after a little bad luck went way too far - and this was in Europe, not in a developing country - no joke!!

Be ready to turn down any contract that doesn't meet a minimun standard for the region, and be ready to walk away from any new job where conditions turn out to be insupportable (see financial cushion above!).

It's not all bad, by any means, but a little bad luck or a poor/exploitative employer can go a long way towards making life miserable when one is far from home - and particularly if you can't speak the local language and don't have local contacts!

[EFLeducator]

[hippocampus]

[evelopez]

The fact that overseas employers are under no regulations WHATSOEVER should cause every TEFL-er some concern.

[EFLeducator]

[Sashadroogie]

Human trafficking in TEFL? Sounds very, very hard to believe. I mean we can easily credit the contraband values of illegal drugs and workers in the sex industry etc. But TEFL? In Europe? C'mon! We are not worth the effort. Nor are language lessons.

Makes good copy for the folks back home, perhaps...

[evelopez]

Seems like this was an April Fool's joke from the OP.

I guess it hit a little too close to home for us who have suffered.

[evelopez]

PS: Hi, Sashadroogie!

[Sashadroogie]

Aw! I was fooled good and proper, then! This is what happens when I don't keep to New Year's resolutions and am occasionally sober. Mind then lacks the clarity of vodka.

That's it! Time to be resolute. Vodka cornflakes forthwith!

[Sashadroogie]

P.S. Hi Evelopez!