Camden, NJ: Camden County Superior Court Judge Anthony M. Pugliese granted Class Certification in a consumer fraud class action lawsuit brought by a graduate of for-profit school Star Career Academy' Surgical Technology Program, and in a separate ruling cleared the case for trial.
The case, brought under New Jersey' Consumer Fraud Act, alleges that Star concealed, suppressed, and failed to disclose material information that more than 1000 Star Surgical Technology Program applicants, students, and graduates were entitled to have before, during, and after they decided to enroll and pay to participate in the Program -- including the effect of a law that significantly impacted the continuing viability of Star' ST program. The law, signed by Governor Christie in December 2011 to regulate the practice of surgical technology in New Jersey, provides that surgical technologists must have graduated from an accredited ST program, earned a nationally certified ST credential, or received specialized ST training in the military.
Polanco alleges that Star violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act by failing to inform her and other students that Industry leaders agree that Star' ST program in surgical technology did not have the specialized accreditation required by the new law. Polanco also claims that Star failed to inform its students and prospective students that industry professionals like hospitals, the Association of Surgical Technology, the NCCT, a credentialing organization for ST and other vocational colleges, were interpreting the law to mean that surgical technology programs like the one offered by Star were no longer valid in New Jersey.
Now that Class Certification has been granted, Court-approved notices will go out to over a thousand class members who attended Star during the class period informing them of the lawsuit, and the case will proceed to trial. If the case is successful, each class member will be eligible to recover tuition and other money Star obtained as a result of its alleged consumer fraud. In addition, the Consumer Fraud Act provides for treble damages, litigation costs, interest, and attorney' fees.
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i attend star tech back in 1999 i need a copy of my diploma and can't get one please help me
Posted by dclanton
on
I graduated from this school and found out they were not really accredited I still owe for loan and should have been able to be reimbursed to go to another school
Posted by Jennifer Rivera
on
I went to school on their new york campus for medical assistanting. we had great teachers but im 11000 in debt and cant find a job.
Posted by Rosalind Robinson
on
I attended the Philadelphia Campus for Insurance, Health Information Technology in 2011. I was laid off and wanted a career change and this school was recommended to me for Medical Billing and Coding. I completed the course and graduated always being in the top of the class. I took the NCCT exam and passed with a high score. I received no help with securing employment, I was never invited to a graduation ceremony and now I am stuck with a student loan payments which has caused me financial struggles. I found out that my NCCT certification was a competency certification only and I did not qualify to take the national coding exam to secure actual employment. If I wanted to become a coder I would need to take another course which I cannot afford at this time. What recourse is available to me?
Posted by Amanda
on
I WENT to Star I had 11 days left and this happens! All those months of sacrificing work to get an education for a career and myself with many others are left with NOTHING unless a school will take what we got. I think any students who had a good amount of time in and where good students should be able to just receive there diploma ASAP. It's not fair! To student or teacher who lost alot yesterday
Posted by Maurice Howard
on
Even thought I went to star it was the worst experience I ever went through as a student the school really did not show how to do real world study like the hemodialysis study.
Posted by Crystina
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I graduated from Star in 2014 by them advertising being an accredited school and actually not being one will this affect my chances of getting a job?
Posted by Elmise Sejour
on
Hi. I attended at Star Career Academy 2009 and 2011 I was devastated. We had a teacher at the beginning of the program for a couple months and we didn't see him anymore. For almost a month they didn't replace him. When we finally had someone they don't stay the whole course I can't even count how many faces that i see. When we doing lap they couldn't provide us the instruments. They couldn't provide us the material and I was never told that the school was not accredited. They lied to us and we paid d lot of money for the program.
Posted by lanessa gago
on
HI my name is lanessa gago. I attended star career for 2 programs. I took the ST. program first. The class was taught completely wrong. The teacher was not nice at all. He was degrading and made you feel awful when it came time to do clinicals. Had I been taught the right way I probably would have passed. So I then enrolled into abother program DT. Which was a better program and I did get my ny certificate but we had no internship as promised. I am now stuck with 2 loans from this school. The whole experience was traumatizing.
Posted by Deshira Smith
on
I went to star career academy for medical assistant along with a couple other friends and the school did not do what they told us they would do in the beginning. Now me and friends have no certificate and the school did not help us at all! This is some BS and now I'm stuck with a student loan of 19,000$ So pissed at this school.
Posted by Felicia Staton
on
I went to star in March 4, 2013 and it was horrible. We had to teach ourselves because we didn't have a teacher for months. It took months to go to extern and took years to get a job. And nobody recognizes the program or the surg tech test I passed. They lost my paperwork I needed to get my ischmm verification. They did my whole class wrong! They need to be shut down! They are horrible!
Posted by Angelique Edinger
on
I went to Katharine Gibbs School from 2007-2008. Not to long after I graduated they closed down. now I'm in debt with student loans and have a degree I cannot use because the school was not nationally accredited...I really need help and I am not alone there are thousands out here with the same story...Please someone help us...
Posted by George marque
on
Both my sons were kicked out after the school received the grants. Classes had 44 students to many. Accredited no says the us army that my sons tried to join. Jobs none. The people that tell you stuff , finance and admissions should be put in jail. Now collection agencies are hounding my sons. They can't even buy a car. A job is difficult because they check credit. What a country of liars
Posted by Jasmarie Livingston
on
I attended star career academy at the Audubon campus in Pennsylvania for Dialysis Technichian & I have my paperwork
Posted by Shaunte Gerald
on
I went to this school for the surgical tech program. I have yet to find a job and a lot of places will tell you your "diploma" you graduate with doesn't count.
Posted by Annette Moy
on
Can this apply to past students too?. My wages were garnished because of this student loan. I have no certification and nothing to prove, that I went for any cardiac tech training. So sad that this is happening...
Posted by New Jersey
on
Did not follow through on promises. Now I'm stuck with a $17,000 loan, no job and no help from school.
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