PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Judy Hodas, Deputy Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
Phone: (302) 577-8827
Date: June 23, 2003
OWNER OF BOGUS TRADE SCHOOL PENALIZED
(Wilmington, DE):
Attorney General M. Jane Brady
announces that her Consumer Protection Unit has entered into a Stipulation and
Consent Order to Cease and Desist with Allison Tammy Butler, owner and operator
of the Nail Ex'Salonce Salon in Wilmington and the Nail Ex'Salonce Academy in
Bear. The Consent Order was signed
today by New Castle County Superior Court Judge John E. Barbiarz, Jr.
The
State alleges that Butler misrepresented that:
·
the Salon was registered by the Board of Cosmetology,
·
the Academy was an approved trade school by the Department of Education,
·
Butler was a licensed instructor, and
·
students, at the completion of the Academy course, could take the state
board examination and become licensed nail technicians.
In late fall of 2000, Butler began to collect tuition from students and
to teach nail technology at the Academy, without obtaining the necessary
approvals from the Department of Education to operate as a trade school.
According
to the Consent Order, Butler's violations came to light when,
"Students...applied to take the Board of Cosmetology nail technician
examination [and] were denied permission to take the exam because the Academy
was not approved...as a registered trade school and because Butler was not a
licensed instructor of nail technology."
The
consent order requires Butler to obtain the proper licenses and certifications
for any
business or trade school she operates and forbids her from misrepresenting the status of her business or school. She was ordered to pay $3,200 in restitution to the four Academy students who paid $800 a piece to take the unapproved nail technology course.
Attorney
General Brady commented, “Students
often assume the integrity of their school's
credentials.
I hope this prosecution not only recovers the victims' money, but alerts others
to verify that the trade schools and educational programs they are considering
are properly credentialed."
###