Western Culinary Institue and California Culinary Academy Stories Intersect at CEC
My co-counsel on the Western Culinary Institute case, Brian Campf, pointed this one out to me. Reading the San Francisco Weekly’s story on San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy leaves me with the odd feeling that I’ve heard this one before. If you’re following the Western Culinary Institute case, you owe it yourself to read this story. Seems very similar to the WCI story. I suppose that could be coincidence. Of course, both schools are owned by Career Education Corp. So maybe it’s no coincidence at all.
David Sugerman
Tags: Career Education Corp., CEC, class action, consumer, Oregon, WCI, western culinary institute
September 15th, 2011 at 10:45 am
Oh jeez, It almost seems like the same exact school!
I fergot about the telephone interview I had with the dean at WCI to see if I was eligable for enrolment. Then in the mail, a few days later, I get a fancy little stupid letter of acceptance with Le CordenBlue smeared all over it in blue caligraphy. Like I was part of an elite few who were lucky enough to walk through the doors of the Galeria. Man I remember how excited I was to get that news.
I diddnt know that towards the end of my time at WCI I would see a deaf kid (100% deaf with a sign language translator and everything), and a blind woman, seriously completely blind with cane and eye shades! Who is going to hire somebody who cant hear or see, to handle hot and sharp things? Sometimes I want to go back in time and kick my own ass for not going back to my old job my first day at that so called school.
Flooding the city with grads, yes, they both do that as well. You cant expect a 47 year old journalist who decides to change careers one day to be able to handl the stress of a kitchen. You also cant expect much from some 17 year old who graduated early from high school with no prior job experience to be worth anything. Its not either of their faults, they just dont know any better. Just like I diddnt in my early 20’s being a dock worker grunt. I made really good money, had great credit and was assured I would make even more money than I already did by going to WCI. And WCI DOES have a reputation around these parts, for shelling out some seriously useless goobers. And you cant avoid a reputation like that when all you need is a GED to get in.
I actually work with two people who went to CCA. They are both involved in the class action lawsuit, and have recently told me that the school lost. They dont know how much money they are getting, probably not much given all the alumni involved. Either way justice prevailed in my opinion. When they went to find out how much money they were getting it got postponed somehow. Who knows.
At the end of the day, the similarities between these two class actions dont supprise me at all. I have formed an unchangeable opinion of all culinary schools. The corprate for profit ones atleast. Anybody willing to charge you 40k or more, only to set you up to make barely over minimum wage is going to get their pants sued around their ankles eventually. Hopefully this is the begining of the end of overpriced for profit schools. Go to the Galeria and see for yourself. They cut down staff, reduced the school to one floor instead of two, removed the hospitality and restaurant management program, and they share their old library with another school now. They should bleed to death soon, I am sure of it.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Thanks for your perspective. FYI, this web page is pretty much shut down. More current information at our new site here. You don’t mention your dates of attendance. If you have questions about whether you qualify, please contact us. Best bet is by phone at 503.228.6474.
David