# an open letter to assholes everywhere

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [April 25, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802 "2008-04-25T05:42:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/1 "2008-04-25T05:42:39Z")

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I have just had 2 of the shittiest days of my life thanks to my boss/the fucktard who just screwed over 400 teens out of a hell of a lot of money, many of them low income families.

if you ever wondered who I am, I am the instructor getting the interview

[http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=239030&shu=1](http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=239030&shu=1)  
[http://www.kirotv.com/video/15985870/index.html](http://www.kirotv.com/video/15985870/index.html)  
the longer one isnt online but those 2 pretty much cover the situation.

owner went on vacation in late February and still hasnt returned. on Sunday myself and my business partner (we were going to open our own school and take over his students til they were finished) had to stop all drive lessons because he wasnt paying instructors, then on Tuesday night I get the call telling me we had been shut down by the Department of Licensing here in Washington and were officially closed.

I cant tell you how hard it is to tell student after student that they are going to have to pay more money to get their license and no there is no point in suing because the money is all gone, one of the office girls was crying her eyes out telling kids what had happened, personally I was mostly numb. I came to this school to get away from a business that was on the verge of closing its doors due to incompetent management because I couldnt work with that kind of fraud only to end up working for a walking cockholster who did this shit on purpose.

the short version, 400+ kids are going to have to go to another school and PAY more money to get certified. kids from a very low income area. kids who when we would go to Seattle on a drive could not afford to by a 1.20 burger at Dicks so I would usually buy for them. kids who seriously think that 5 in their pocket is a chunk of cash.  
meanwhile hes in Costa Rica…yeah I hope you are enjoying those drinks on the beach asshole.

by Wednesday night I just wanted to call my mom…

yes I have had a couple drinks so fuck off if shit aint spelled right.

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### Author: ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/2 "2008-04-25T05:58:27Z")

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Wow - that seriously sucks, for you and for the students.

I really hope there is some sort of criminal charges filed against the owner…

I suppose if you guys knew what was happening, could you have just not deposited the money into his account and used it to continue running the business, or to get paid?

You did good in the interview, by the way. Keep us posted!!

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### Author: ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/3 "2008-04-25T06:08:22Z")

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Surely this guy’s got a life insurance policy. Kill him and dole out the cash to the victims.

That’s how my society would run anyway.

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### Author: ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/4 "2008-04-25T06:45:14Z")

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Well, with any kind of luck at all, a local philanthropist will pick up the bill for those students who have been shafted. _hopeful_ I don’t know what to say about the employees. Wish they could find him, and most of the money… ☹

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### Author: ![SomeUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/5 "2008-04-25T08:55:33Z")

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That is really shitty. I thought it was bad when my daughters learners packet had to be replaced as it was stolen along with my truck. At least for her classes were only postponed for a couple weeks and I had to shell out another $25.

I feel so bad for the parents, students and of course for you.

What a scum bag.

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### Author: ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/6 "2008-04-25T09:31:52Z")

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Geez, did he not have a bond for his school? Illinois is fanatical about private and vocational schools getting bonding for just this sort of event - the school may have no money, but the insurance company will reimburse the students. (At least that how it works in theory - I have to admit my teetering-on-the-edge of bankruptcy school never quite actually failed while I was the administrator.)

That really sucks; I can’t imagine having those talks with those kids. I’m really sorry you have to deal with this shit.

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### Author: ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/7 "2008-04-25T10:35:03Z")

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Not to put too fine a point on it, but how do you know that the owner hasn’t been killed and someone isn’t raiding his bank accounts?

One thing that interests me is that the students paid up front. When I was taking lessons (many years ago, mind), I paid on a lesson-to-lesson basis.

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### Author: ![SomeUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/8 "2008-04-25T10:47:51Z")

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[QUOTE=Quartz]  
Not to put too fine a point on it, but how do you know that the owner hasn’t been killed and someone isn’t raiding his bank accounts?

One thing that interests me is that the students paid up front. When I was taking lessons (many years ago, mind), I paid on a lesson-to-lesson basis.  
[/QUOTE]

When my daughter took her drivers ed a year ago it was paid up front for the entire course, $305. I think it was 10 classroom classes and 4 two hour on the road driving.

The school also offered on the road driving in two hour classes but they were more for people that needed extra help or to get their points lowered due to tickets.

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### Author: ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/9 "2008-04-25T11:06:35Z")

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I don’t know man, seems that as a professional asshat I think I should be offended at being lumped in with this dirtbag.

Of course I don’t know the whole story, there could be circumstances where this guy was out of control, got in somewhere too deep, it may not have been truly his fault.

Doubt it.

Don’t really care, kids were hurt. Don’t really matter which side of the tracks they were from, kids are kids.

Yeah, this guy has to come home someday (they all do eventually, don’t know why) so when he does tell him you know this “guy” in Indiana who has a business proposition for him. We’ll treat him real nice like 😉

Of course you realize I’m being sarcastic, I would never publically threaten or insinuate threat or wish harm to anybody, remember I’m an asshat.

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### Author: ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/10 "2008-04-25T12:57:44Z")

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[QUOTE=nyctea scandiaca]  
could you have just not deposited the money into his account and used it to continue running the business, or to get paid?  
[/QUOTE]

They have a word for when customers pay a fee, and instead of depositing their checks in the business account, you cash them and use the money for your own purposes. 😉

So no, they couldn’t have done that. After they were booked for embezzlement and theft, then maybe they could have produced a paper trail that would have showed that they hadn’t kept the money but had used it for expenses and salaries. Maybe.

And if they had known that the boss wasn’t coming back, they could have blown the whistle earlier themselves. But unfortunately their ESP lessons from that fly-by-night ESP school didn’t “take”. 😃

As for the kids, there’s [this.](http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080425/NEWS01/379123938)

> [@](#):
>
> The state Department of Licensing gained access to Sno-King’s student records Thursday, spokeswoman Selena Davis said.
> 
> The state will try to give students credit for classes that they’ve already taken, she said. Other schools also are offering students prorated driving lessons so they can pay for only the behind-the-wheel classes they need in order to test for driver’s licenses.

And there’s also this:

> [@](#):
>
> The Everett Police Department is aware of complaints about the school, but has not been asked to conduct a criminal investigation. The state Attorney General’s Office referred calls to the Department of Licensing and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

So apparently somebody needs to go down to the Everett PD and ask them to conduct a criminal investigation. Clayton? That would be you. 😃

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### Author: ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/11 "2008-04-25T14:56:37Z")

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Wait - what? 😕

I’m confused. Is this a school, separate from high school, where pre-drivers-license students pay for drivers license instruction before they take the state test? Or is it for renewing the drivers license? (If so then why high-school age kids?)

Drivers ed isn’t done in high school as part of the free education? It sure was when I was taking it.

Why are the students shelling out hundreds of dollars for this class? Is it extra material on top of what the high school already provides?

What am I missing here?

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### Author: ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/12 "2008-04-25T14:59:37Z")

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**Subway Prophet** - from the article **Duck Duck Goose** linked:

> [@](#):
>
> Sno-King offered classes at Cascade High School in Everett, Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek and Kamiak High School in Mukilteo. The state stopped funding driver’s education programs in April 2005, although some school districts stopped offering classes as far back as 2002.
> 
> Sno-King was one of several companies that filled the void, offering on-campus classes after school.

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### Author: ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/13 "2008-04-25T16:40:56Z")

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Unfreakin’believable. People really pull stunts like this?

Please keep us posted.

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### Author: ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/14 "2008-04-25T16:46:10Z")

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Man that sucks.

Is there any way to find out if the guy abandoned his business or if he’s in some kind of trouble? Well, I guess if he was an upstanding kind of guy who just got stuck in Costa Rica for some reason he’d have called or e-mailed.

Can you still start your own school with your partner?

What has to happen to file criminal charges? If you can only file civil suit what happens if he never returns from CR?

BTW nice interview and I think you’re quite handsome. 🙂

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### Author: ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/15 "2008-04-25T16:57:58Z")

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[QUOTE=Subway Prophet]  
Wait - what? 😕

I’m confused. Is this a school, separate from high school, where pre-drivers-license students pay for drivers license instruction before they take the state test? Or is it for renewing the drivers license? (If so then why high-school age kids?)

Drivers ed isn’t done in high school as part of the free education? It sure was when I was taking it.

Why are the students shelling out hundreds of dollars for this class? Is it extra material on top of what the high school already provides?

What am I missing here?  
[/QUOTE]

No. Drivers Ed is not available everywhere. It’s available in some school districts.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Drivers Ed is one of the first few programs cut during lean times.

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### Author: ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/16 "2008-04-25T22:11:06Z")

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Anything new with this, has the police department been asked to start a criminal investigation yet? 😕 I hope so! I wish there were a way for both employees and students to get their money back, I hope there is, at least some of it. ☹

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### Author: ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/17 "2008-04-25T23:01:18Z")

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Aren’t there any other local driving schools ready to step up?

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### Author: ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/18 "2008-04-25T23:23:18Z")

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[QUOTE=ivylass]  
Aren’t there any other local driving schools ready to step up?  
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, there are, read \*\*Duck Duck Goose’s \*\* post number 10. 😉 But, that still leaves people having to pay another school for the remaining lessons, after they’d already paid the full amount for all the lessons. And, it still leaves the employees out thousands of dollars, one of which is our own **Critical1**. ☹

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### Author: ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/19 "2008-04-25T23:30:53Z")

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Ah. Well, we can always hope some owner of a car dealership will come forward and pay for the pro-rated classes.

That’s the good thing about stories like this…people like to help.

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### Author: ![fatnugly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@fatnugly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fatnugly)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802/20 "2008-04-26T03:06:13Z")

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Welcome to capitalism. Most capitalist, not all, think that whatever money they can take from the unsuspecting public is their right. In my business I had a policy that any customer who complained got a 100% refund, however I was not very successful. Capitalist who remain in business for a long period of time just control their level of theft to what ever is acceptable. Most foreign countries do not extridite for economic crimes. If you are planning to steal, take the money and run.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-assholes-everywhere/446802.md?page=2)
