I don't usually like to pass judgement in sites like this. Not due to any nasal gazing but simply because I often act as the recruiter for the English School in China that employes me; hence, I feel that whatever I say may be either biased, influenced or have some kind of an agenda - doubtless, knowing that I also use this site for recruiting other foreign teachers, you might feel the same.

However, I couldn't resist the urge to pass comment, if not judgement, on New Century in Dalian. In this case, I don't think anyone would accuse me of an alterior motive even if I did pass judgement.

Unlike many of the people who have posted in, some of whom I have met here in Dalian, I have never worked for Dawei (or Evander as he was previously known); although I have had my own hilarious dealings with him in the past. Those who know me will know exactly which one I am talking about.

It is disappointing in the sense that there are plenty of schools out there that do not feel the need to subject teachers to this sort of experience; it is frustrating in the sense that I have to see New Century's recruitment advertising out there on the internet, often right next to mine. If it wasn't so disappointing and frustrating to see what New Century does and has done to friends of mine, it would be slightly amusing (not the part about people being deceived but the part about his ineptitude and predictable lies). I can confirm pretty much everything that has been levelled at this school over the years - I am always amazed that they continue to find teachers as no-one already in Dalian would touch New Century with a ten-foot pole; no-one with any sense, anyway. WhenI see their advertising on recruitment sites, I just want to scream at whoever might be reading it "DON'T DO IT, DON'T DO IT!"; how else are they to know.

Of course, it would be easy for me to sit here and say that prospective teachers need to be careful and research new schools more rigorously. I know this, but then, I have lived here for quite a while and I know from experience what to ask and who to believe. Often, on various forums, it boils down to a slanging match between the school and the teacher. Who is to be believed? There ARE instances (while admittedly quite rare - when the agrieved is making an absolute mountain out of a mole hill). At this point, I would like to stress that I don't think that this is the case with New Century. I do feel sympathetic to the new teachers who are duped into signing on with this school. Given that DaWei has used this site to recruite quite often in the past, I am amazed that he hsa not posted a response to any of the accusations - perhaps he has and I have missed them.

As a small (and it is only small) note of caution for future posters about this, or any other school, I would say this:

You may remember during the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay, that protesters tried to steal the torch from a Chinese woman in a wheel-chair. While their message was genuine and worthy, it was lost behind the fact that they chose to take the torch from a handicapped girl. In that way, they failed to get their message across as effectively as ifthey had chosen a less sympathetic target.

I feel that some small comparison can be made with a few of the school reviews (reviews that I often sympathise with). If a school is bad, the bald facts will speak for themselves; but they run the risk of being drowned out by superlative-laden language - sometimes, I fear that new teachers switch off to this not to mention the fact that it fuels those false responses (often under pseudonyms - ala Frank Zhang) that dilute our arguements.

This is not meant as a criticism, merely a suggestion - I do applaud any and all efforts to expose the people who exploit teachers - New Century included.

Keep it up.