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SRC
Policy on Defining "Instruction"
Several
sections of current SRC policy are relevant to the policy on defining
“instruction”:
1)
Southlands Riding Club Rule #43: “SRC Instructors are those
who have been designated as such by the Board of Directors”
2)
Southlands Riding Club Rule #44: “Only SRC Instructors
may give instruction on Club premises, except as authorized from
time to time by the Board of Directors for clinics and other special
events”
Rationale
for Policy on Defining Instruction
Unauthorized
instruction at SRC is problematic for many reasons. SRC should take
instances of unauthorized instruction seriously and support the
possible application of significant penalties in such cases because:
- unauthorized
instruction is unfair to those instructors and students who abide
by SRC rules and pay ring fees for properly scheduled lessons,
fees which help support SRC and keep all members’ dues lower
than they otherwise would be;
- unauthorized
instruction presents a liability issue for SRC, as SRC has no
way of knowing whether people engaged in unauthorized instruction
have liability insurance and SRC's insurance could be adversely
affected;
- unauthorized
instruction carried out at volume is disruptive to other riders,
especially those who are taking lessons and must listen to their
instructor over the voice of the unauthorized instructor;
- members
may feel unwilling to ride in a ring where instruction is taking
place; in the case of unauthorized instruction, a full paying
member may therefore be inconvenienced by someone who is not abiding
by the rules and is not paying their fair share of the costs of
SRC.
Policy on Defining Instruction
To
be considered “instruction”, an activity must meet both
of the following points:
1)
Instruction is regular and fairly continuous commentary and/or direction
(i.e. more than an occasional comment).
2)
Instruction takes place while the student is in the act of riding
a horse, as opposed to observations and comments made after the
ride is completed.
The
following points also make up part of the definition of “instruction”.
Based on the rationale for the policy outlined above,
-
it is irrelevant whether the student is riding the instructor’s
own horse. It is still "instruction" if it meets points
1 and 2 above.
-
it is irrelevant whether the instructor is teaching his or her
own child. It is still "instruction" if it meets points
1 and 2 above.
-
it is irrelevant whether the instructor is receiving payment from
the student. It is still "instruction" if it meets points
1 and 2 above.
- it
is irrelevant whether the instructor is riding a horse while the
teaching is taking place. It is still "instruction"
if it meets points 1 and 2 above.
**
NOTE: The word for word reading aloud of dressage tests, with little
or no additional commentary, is exempt from this policy.
Penalties
for Unauthorized Instruction
Both
parties (the teacher and the student) engaged in unauthorized instruction
on SRC property may be subject to the following penalties:
First
Offense: SRC management will conduct a personal meeting with
each offender and issue a verbal reminder regarding the rules about
unauthorized instruction. This meeting will be followed up by a
letter from SRC management outlining the content of the meeting
and stating the exact time and date of the offense and the exact
policy wording which has been contravened. The letter will also
state the repercussions of a second offence.
Second
offense: each offender will be subject to a 1 month suspension
of membership privileges (in the case of a non-member parent engaged
in unauthorized instruction, the child's membership will be suspended).
Notice of the suspension will be given both verbally from SRC management
and in writing in a letter from the SRC President. The letter will
state the exact time and date of the offence, the exact policy wording
which has been contravened, and will make reference to the fact
that this is a second offence. It will also state the repercussions
of a third offence. Notice of the suspension will also be published
in the SRC Bulletin, on the SRC website, on the Instructors’
Board in the SRC lobby, and anywhere else deemed appropriate by
SRC management.
Third
offense: each offender will be subject to a 1 year suspension
of membership privileges (in the case of a non-member parent engaged
in unauthorized instruction, the child's membership will be suspended).
Notice of the suspension will be given both verbally from SRC management
and in writing in a letter from the SRC President. The letter will
state the exact time and date of the offence, the exact policy wording
which has been contravened, and will make reference to the fact
that this is a third offence. Notice of the suspension will also
be published in the SRC Bulletin, on the SRC website, on the Instructors’
Board in the SRC lobby, and anywhere else deemed appropriate by
SRC management.
In
all cases, the affected member has the right to appeal in writing
or by personal appearance at a Board of Directors’ meeting
a suspension of membership privileges to the Board of Directors
within 30 days of the date of the letter announcing the suspension.
The Board of Directors may at its discretion reverse the suspension
and/or apply some other form of penalty.
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