School Pulled A Fast One, Director Says

HOUSTON (CN) - The Texas School of Business fired its director when she refused to conceal facts from students about changes that would bring the school more federal money but reduce course offerings, Patricia Carroll claims in Harris County Court.

Carroll says her bosses decided to "standardize" the student population through a "curriculum rotation process," which would bring in more money for each student who accepted the plan's terms - three federal disbursements instead of two. She also sued the school's corporate parent, Kaplan Higher Education.

Rather than inform students that they were entitled to a refund if they did not accept the terms of their standardization contract, and that they could continue their education under the old class schedule, her bosses "told her that it was her job to 'make' the students standardize," Carroll says.

"Plaintiff was directed not to tell students they could reject the standardization terms and request a teach-out [under previous terms]," the complaint states. "Plaintiff was also not permitted to tell students they had 24 hours to make their decisions, not permitted to advise them that they were entitled to a refund of their money if they rescinded their agreement within a certain time period. Plaintiff was directed to encourage the students to sign the standardization contracts on the spot and without a consideration period. Plaintiff was also told by her Kaplan/TSBS superiors to affirmatively and falsely represent to the TWC [Texas Workforce Commission] that the standardized contracts were signed with full disclosure to the student. In addition, Plaintiff was asked by her Kaplan/TSBS superiors to conceal from the students and the TWC a change in hours for the evening program."

The school offers job training in the fields of medicine, dentistry and computers.

Carroll is represented by Shellist & Lazarz.

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