Topic: Bangkok Christian College

[samvimes]

the amount involved was less than 2% of his yearly remuneration. And it was settled in the teacher's favor.

2% or 200% is not the point, the fact is that the teacher felt it necessary (after seeing other teachers lied to) to act in this way. Let's be honest this should not have even been an issue but this was the teacher who had had his contract whited out after it had been signed and he was probably (understandably) upset about it.

I do know of many teachers who leave early consistently or take numerous days off when not sick.

So fire them, or better still give them the facilities so that they can do their work at the school. 3 working computers between 12 members of staff is not exactly great resources.

All this does not deflect away from the main issues.

Why does BCC not honour their contracts?
Why do they not obey Thai labour law?
Why can't they tell the teachers the days of holidays and extra working days in advance?
Why have so many teachers left this year?
Why does BCC not trust its foreign teachers at all?

If the school does not trust the teachers then why the heck should the teachers trust the school?

Is your self centered little mind showing ?  Have your opinions been a source of embarrassment to you for a long time now ?

Your little personal attacks just makes you look bad.

[shocked]

Uwe Jus Dun Unerstan Thai Cucha 

[SouthOfHeaven]

Well after reading the nightmare stories on here I cancelled my interview with B.C.C. Thanks to everyone for the warnings. Sounds like a lot of headaches have been avoided, not to mention being out of pocket as well.

[NukeThemSlowly]

 

Good call, South.  Working for BCC is only putting off your next unemployed period to October.  It's better to get it over with and find a real job now, when it's easier.

[Rick_BKK]

Well after reading the nightmare stories on here I cancelled my interview with B.C.C. Thanks to everyone for the warnings. Sounds like a lot of headaches have been avoided, not to mention being out of pocket as well.

I agree with NukeThemSlowly, good call SouthofHeaven. If you look around I am sure you can find something better than BCC.

[bkkman]

Well after reading the nightmare stories on here I cancelled my interview with B.C.C. Thanks to everyone for the warnings. Sounds like a lot of headaches have been avoided, not to mention being out of pocket as well.

Bad call SoH. You probably believe everything you read in the New York Times. And that is edited for accuracy. Believing what 4 or so disgruntled malcontents have to say makes even less sense. You could not go in and see for yourself ?? Pity.? This is very poor judgement on your part IMO.
But thank you. It? makes it easier for me to recommend BCC to my solid, mature, well qualified friends looking for a good place to work.

---------------------
As for samvines comments ......

All this does not deflect away from the main issues.

1/ Why does BCC not honour their contracts?
2/ Why do they not obey Thai labour law?
3/ Why can't they tell the teachers the days of holidays and extra working days in advance?
4/ Why have so many teachers left this year?
5/ Why does BCC not trust its foreign teachers at all?
-------------
This is our main point of disagreement. I do not think these are the main issues. See comments below ....

And I do not agree with your accusations. It is so easy to sling an accusation but it is not so easy to back it up with evidence.
1/ There are some 75 farang teachers at BCC. To my knowledge only 2 or 3 have problems with their contracts.
? ? ?This hardly justifies the blanket statement that ...... "BCC does not honor their contracts"
2/ Don't know. But just because one admin makes a statement does not mean the school will be unfair.
 ? ? If they are you can file a lawsuit, or file a complaint with the MOE and Labor Boards.
3/ They do. We get a schedule at the beginning of each semester. Yes a few of the days off or Saturday obligations are not
? ? mentioned but if I expect perfection from them then to be fair I would have to be perfect too. No thank you.
4/ Because, as I explained previously, most farangs are transient. The few who can make a one year contractual committment
? ? rarely stay for more than 2 years. So one would expect 25-50% to leave each year. In one dept I know, half left because they
? ? wanted to get back to their careers in the West. Normal statistics. A mystery only to you. And your implication was that these
? ? teachers left because they were unhappy. Very unfair and dishonest of you IMO.
5/? How do you know BCC does not trust the teachers ?? BCC ?? How many BCC administrators is that ? 1, 2, most ? You have no idea
? ? ?who and how much or little the INDIVIDUALS trust employees unless you can read minds. If you are referring to their skepticism
? ? ?over degrees in the interview, you surely know how many fakes from Kao San Road come through. All good businessmen are
? ? careful before making decisions. Why don't you get that ?

As for 3 computers for 12 teachers. It is just fine most of the time. Remember, during the day most teachers are in class half the time so only 1/3 to 1/2 the teachers are in the room at any given time. No problem.

To sum up, what I think is important is ..
Do we get paid in full and on time ?? ? Answer:? ?AFAIK, everyone does and has been each and EVERY month for years and years.
Are the resources and working conditions good ?? ?Answer:? They are as good or better than anywhere in Thailand.?
And as an added benefit  (but of secondary importance to me),  the pay is better than 90% of jobs out there.

You can add all your other expectations to that and make yourself miserable and angry if you want. 
Go right ahead. Knock yourself out.? ?

Good luck to you.

[shocked]

 
Let me third that--South, you made the correct move.  You probably have a bright future ahead of you as a teacher.  They contacted you soon after you arrived in Thailand and tempted you with what is attractive pay, by Thai standards.  But, you followed our advice and your instincts and said "NO."  This speaks volumes about your character and self-esteem.

"Three or Four Malcontents"?  How about the many others, who were black-mailed, threatened, and/or assaulted and do not post?  How about the 180 or so negative comments on the old tsw?  I said before--If BCC does not make the "Hall" within 60 days; I will run from Hua Hin to BKK--naked.  Let me change that--I will run from Hat Yai to BKK naked, without the 9 mm pistol being discounted to teachers in the southland.

I love Thailand, that is why the truth must be told.

[SouthOfHeaven]

Well after reading the nightmare stories on here I cancelled my interview with B.C.C. Thanks to everyone for the warnings. Sounds like a lot of headaches have been avoided, not to mention being out of pocket as well.

Bad call SoH. You probably believe everything you read in the New York Times. And that is edited for accuracy. Believing what 4 or so disgruntled malcontents have to say makes even less sense. You could not go in and see for yourself ?? Pity.? This is very poor judgement on your part IMO.
But thank you. It? makes it easier for me to recommend BCC to my solid, mature, well qualified friends looking for a good place to work.

Well even if I've made a wrong judgement and the excuses you've given for the complaints people have made here are true, then you have a serious problem in that your school has a terrible reputation, be it undeserved or not. I also spoke to my fellow teachers about BCC. One laughed in disbelief when I told him I was applying and I was told that it would be "a step down" by another who also told me an anecdote about BCC that involved the police. You probably know the story better than I do. Who needs that? Still other teachers assured me it was not a good place to work. So you'd better work on your schools image because it's name is in the gutter. BTW I'm studying for a Masters of Education and have solid years of professional experience behing me and I am looking for a good place to work. There's no smoke without fire, ever heard that one? Best of luck.

[MrQ]

I would like you to have gone to the interview and reported back though.

Can you go anyway and bring back some information?

[samvimes]

1/ There are some 75 farang teachers at BCC. To my knowledge only 2 or 3 have problems with their contracts.
? ? ?This hardly justifies the blanket statement that ...... "BCC does not honor their contracts"

Teacher A was promised a merit increase which was not honoured and left in disgust after trying his best to get what had been agreed, it was only a 500 baht a month increase and he could not get it.

Teacher B was also promised a 500 baht merit increase and he was unable to get it.

Teacher C was promised an increase after probation which was removed from the contract after signature and he had to fight to get it.

Teacher D and E had to pay an agency a monthly amount for their own job.

Teacher F left after having their work permit cancelled on purpose and ran up an overstay fine of 20,000 baht which they did not know about.


2/ Don't know. But just because one admin makes a statement does not mean the school will be unfair.
? ? ?If they are you can file a lawsuit, or file a complaint with the MOE and Labor Boards.

Filing a law suit from an individual against a huge, rich school like BCC is very hard, although one ex teacher has managed it for being let go after the probationary period.

3/ They do. We get a schedule at the beginning of each semester. Yes a few of the days off or Saturday obligations are not
? ? mentioned but if I expect perfection from them then to be fair I would have to be perfect too. No thank you.

That's just not true is it? Staff asked and asked for the schedule and never got it. Last minute additions were given at short notice

4/ Because, as I explained previously, most farangs are transient. The few who can make a one year contractual committment
? ? rarely stay for more than 2 years. So one would expect 25-50% to leave each year. In one dept I know, half left because they
? ? wanted to get back to their careers in the West. Normal statistics. A mystery only to you. And your implication was that these
? ? teachers left because they were unhappy. Very unfair and dishonest of you IMO.

It is interesting that you blame the teachers for being transient instead of blaming the school for employing them; the fact remains that many many many teachers leave and do not want to stay even if they are given the choice. The school has the choice who it employs, it is unfair to blame all the teachers for the school's inablility to recruit and retain competent teachers.

5/? How do you know BCC does not trust the teachers ?? BCC ?? How many BCC administrators is that ? 1, 2, most ? You have no idea
? ? ?who and how much or little the INDIVIDUALS trust employees unless you can read minds. If you are referring to their skepticism
? ? ?over degrees in the interview, you surely know how many fakes from Kao San Road come through. All good businessmen are
? ? careful before making decisions. Why don't you get that ?

Any school that steals 20,000 baht from each teacher does not trust their teachers. Any school that uses probation to divide its staff is not one to be trusted. Transparancy is required for trust and there is none at this school. Communication is needed for trust and there is none at this school.

South of Heaven you made the right choice and saved yourself a lot of bother. Good luck with your studies and finding work at a place that will treat you as a professional.

Good teachers deserve a good school.
A good school deserves good teachers.

BCC could be a great place to work, it could be a wonderful place to work.? BCC needs to change, it needs to do something to dispel this awful reputation it now has. Even the "good"? salaries? are not high enough to attract quality people.

[shocked]

Like Paul Harvey would say......."Page 7".............

[blackpanther]

I was called to the second interview with BCC but after talking with friends and reading the stuff on here I decided against it.

One friend had worked there a few years back and seemed very positive about it. He told that I would have to basically keep my head down and kiss Thai ass.....not my forte I'm afraid. Another friend told me the afore-mentioned tale of the teacher, fake degree that was not and the police. That put the nail in the coffin for me.

I took a job with another school who are, incidentally,  paying me a lot more and have already sent me a copy of my contract to view. I haven't signed it yet but all seems well.

[NukeThemSlowly]

Although I'm strongly tempted to let Shocked make the evening news, could we give this infamous school a place in the Hall of Shame already?

[SouthOfHeaven]

What does a school have to do to enter the Hall of Shame anyway? What are the criteria?

[hero]

What does a school have to do to enter the Hall of Shame anyway? What are the criteria?

Be bad!  (And feature on here with details of why it's bad )

I feel sure this school is headed that way