Anonymous
05/10/2026 09:22
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, the question here is if you can walk away if the school is able to fill the slot with a kid from the waiting list? Can anyone explain in plain English what are the economic damages of that situation?
DP. If your contract says you cannot walk away then one can't -- and the courts consistently enforce breach of contract.
Are you familiar with the duty to mitigate damages?
Anonymous
05/10/2026 09:21
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
Lmao. It was an absolutely fair and accurate synthesis of everything that had been said. The perfect ending to this thread. But you just needed to go on and on? There’s nothing new to be said here . You’re offended that contracts should be honored? That’s hilarious but you’re entitled to your wrong opinion.
I didn’t know that a random poster has the right to close a thread. Try to answer the question I posted before. Thanks.
It was a joke, genius. But everybody has answered you. I’m assuming you’re the OP. There is nothing new to be said here. It’s bad character to breach your contract, and the school might let you off the hook to some degree and they might not. Go try it. It’s your life. What else do you need from us?
Well, to begin with I don’t need anything from you (specially your comments). Feel free to ignore the thread if you don’t like it.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 09:11
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
Lmao. It was an absolutely fair and accurate synthesis of everything that had been said. The perfect ending to this thread. But you just needed to go on and on? There’s nothing new to be said here . You’re offended that contracts should be honored? That’s hilarious but you’re entitled to your wrong opinion.
I didn’t know that a random poster has the right to close a thread. Try to answer the question I posted before. Thanks.
It was a joke, genius. But everybody has answered you. I’m assuming you’re the OP. There is nothing new to be said here. It’s bad character to breach your contract, and the school might let you off the hook to some degree and they might not. Go try it. It’s your life. What else do you need from us?
+1. Your question has been answered OP. You have 3 choices:
1. Stay at the school
2. Walk away and pay what you are obligated by the contract you signed
3. Contact the Head of School and explain your circumstances and hope he/she is willing to either let you out entirely without paying or negotiate your paying a smaller amount.
There’s no secret way out of paying. Suck it up and call your Head of School.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 09:10
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, the question here is if you can walk away if the school is able to fill the slot with a kid from the waiting list? Can anyone explain in plain English what are the economic damages of that situation?
Filling the slot with a full pay kid is not always an option for every school and even if it is, it’s not necessarily easy. And you are just looking at your own actions and coming to the conclusion there is no damage. But what if there’re like five recently accepted families that want to vacate their contracts, and the school has made obligations to teachers and other budgetary issues, and they just don’t have five full pay kids on the waiting list that they actually want, or that still want the school? so you can argue there’s no damage in therefore you should not have to pay any of the money, but you’re gonna have to use your lawyer to negotiate your way through that with their lawyers.
This. The school's follow the same contract dates. So the group they can draw from is limited -- kids ready to be full-pay but that were otherwise planning for public.
If they fill the spot with a student who was otherwise planning to attend private, that just creates another contract conflict.
AISGW made the problem more pointed this year by moving up the contract binding date to the same dsg that enrollment was due for selective DCPS high schools. So students got accepted off the waitlist just after the private school contracts became binding.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:54
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
Lmao. It was an absolutely fair and accurate synthesis of everything that had been said. The perfect ending to this thread. But you just needed to go on and on? There’s nothing new to be said here . You’re offended that contracts should be honored? That’s hilarious but you’re entitled to your wrong opinion.
I didn’t know that a random poster has the right to close a thread. Try to answer the question I posted before. Thanks.
It was a joke, genius. But everybody has answered you. I’m assuming you’re the OP. There is nothing new to be said here. It’s bad character to breach your contract, and the school might let you off the hook to some degree and they might not. Go try it. It’s your life. What else do you need from us?
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:52
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Ok, the question here is if you can walk away if the school is able to fill the slot with a kid from the waiting list? Can anyone explain in plain English what are the economic damages of that situation?
Filling the slot with a full pay kid is not always an option for every school and even if it is, it’s not necessarily easy. And you are just looking at your own actions and coming to the conclusion there is no damage. But what if there’re like five recently accepted families that want to vacate their contracts, and the school has made obligations to teachers and other budgetary issues, and they just don’t have five full pay kids on the waiting list that they actually want, or that still want the school? so you can argue there’s no damage in therefore you should not have to pay any of the money, but you’re gonna have to use your lawyer to negotiate your way through that with their lawyers.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:51
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ok, the question here is if you can walk away if the school is able to fill the slot with a kid from the waiting list? Can anyone explain in plain English what are the economic damages of that situation?
DP. If your contract says you cannot walk away then one can't -- and the courts consistently enforce breach of contract.
Really? Have you tried to cancel a hotel reservation without penalty. Well, it does happen, and frequently. By the way, it also happens at schools depending on the circumstances.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:48
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Ok, the question here is if you can walk away if the school is able to fill the slot with a kid from the waiting list? Can anyone explain in plain English what are the economic damages of that situation?
DP. If your contract says you cannot walk away then one can't -- and the courts consistently enforce breach of contract.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:48
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
Lmao. It was an absolutely fair and accurate synthesis of everything that had been said. The perfect ending to this thread. But you just needed to go on and on? There’s nothing new to be said here . You’re offended that contracts should be honored? That’s hilarious but you’re entitled to your wrong opinion.
I didn’t know that a random poster has the right to close a thread. Try to answer the question I posted before. Thanks.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:45
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
Lmao. It was an absolutely fair and accurate synthesis of everything that had been said. The perfect ending to this thread. But you just needed to go on and on? There’s nothing new to be said here . You’re offended that contracts should be honored? That’s hilarious but you’re entitled to your wrong opinion.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:43
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Ok, the question here is if you can walk away if the school is able to fill the slot with a kid from the waiting list? Can anyone explain in plain English what are the economic damages of that situation?
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:37
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
It’s an opinion that you should honor (legally binding) contracts? And an opinion that you may or may not get money back should you choose to breach the contract? And an opinion that schools should be able to enforce the contracts? Hopefully you’re trying to break your child free from a school that doesn’t teach the difference between fact and opinion.
Private school teacher here. I’d appreciate it if people could honor their contracts. Schools hire and retain teachers, set class sizes, etc. based on enrollment numbers.
You signed a contract and decisions were made. Backing out has ramifications for the school.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:32
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
It’s an opinion that you should honor (legally binding) contracts? And an opinion that you may or may not get money back should you choose to breach the contract? And an opinion that schools should be able to enforce the contracts? Hopefully you’re trying to break your child free from a school that doesn’t teach the difference between fact and opinion.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 08:25
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
Anonymous wrote:I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
Except your post is irrelevant because it is based on your own self-righteous opinion rather than any actual experience.
Anonymous
05/10/2026 07:04
Subject: Any experience of walking away from a school contract?
I think we’re in the weeds here with semantics. I’m gonna sum this up and then we can lock this thread, right?
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.
1)When we sign contracts, we should know what we’re signing and have the character to follow through with our obligations. Especially when it’s binding us to a $50,000 deal.
2) a school is still running a business and they have every right to hold you to the contract you signed and obligate you to those tuition dollars. They have their lawyers and they’re not afraid to use them.
3) depending on the school, and other circumstances such as how decently you ask and their confidence of filling your spot with the kid of a grateful family you might be able to get out of the contract 100%. Or 25%. Or 33%. Or 50%.
OK folks. There’s nothing else too say. No more posting on this topic! Do you understand me? Go enjoy your Mother’s Day. This is a waste of your time. And you’re welcome.