Legal Question in Business Law in Pennsylvania
Question about the authority of a Private Business Owner
My daughter is a member of a local dance team since she was 9 (now 17). This has been our favorite organization, & have never had any trouble. In fact, we have volunteered beyond the normal amount (really above & beyond!). However, my daughter and the Director got into an argument at practice. After that, the Director humiliated my daughter in front of the rest of the group several times & even called me about it. I told her I would like to sit down to resolve it as we have never had any trouble before, but she has repeatedly refused to meet with us. Recently, the team won the right to do the show in Europe to rep the USA at the World Championships, but my daughter got a letter from the Director saying that since she had to be reprimanded several times she is now on probation & another occurrence could lead to her expulsion. This has never happened to anyone else the 8 years we have been involved. It frightens me to think of the kind of treatment my daughter may have to endure from the Director for the next year if this ''probation'' is allowed, because who knows what will set the Director off! There was never any contract or rules until now, so I believe that the Director is attacking her. She doesn't want to quit - what can we do?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Question about the authority of a Private Business Owner
You asked about "problems" with a private business owner.
Two things, first is that this is a private business within an association and you must play by their rules, but so do they. Second is that your daughter may have actually been wrong.
You can attack the director directly or through the organization. This will be a political fight and may end up being bloody and expensive. There are numerous avenues you could pursue, the most obvious being breach of contract claims. Your daughter participated for years and years, paying the fees as she went along with the outcome being that she would participate in the rewards (such as this performance opportunity).
Another mode of attack would be to go through the governing organization. The dance crew was chosen with your daughter as a member and likely she is pretty integral to the crew. The governing organization will do all it can to quell any problems.
Another option is to actually leave and see if the director can stomach that. It is possible that the director saw the initial incident as an attack or mark against her authority.
Recall that there are basically three choices in any situation: accept the situation, change the situation, or leave the situation.
Regards,
Roger
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