Policy for Cancellation of Classes?

Is there a policy for the cancellation of events, especially Education ones?

Since I have no clue how to script, I decided today to attend a Scripting class this afternoon. At the appointed time, I IM'ed the instructor for a TP and was told that the class was cancelled, due to a project he had to finish building for a client. That's understandable enough, I thought. When I searched the Calendar for another event, I realized that this CANCELLED class was still on the Calendar. Presuming an oversight on the instructor's part, I suggested that he cancel the event on the calendar. His response? He laughed, said he would just tell people and that he was a little busy and didn't have the time. I urged him again to take the minute or two to cancel the event officially, but I received no further response. Clearly, he was too busy.

Is there a possibility of abuse here? I've read that Linden will pay instructors to hold classes, and that these classes require a minimum attendance. If a class is cancelled and nobody goes, but it's not cancelled on the calendar, does an instructor still get paid automatically?

Even if an instructor isn't attempting to scam payment out of a cancelled class, shouldn't SL Instructors be held to a higher standard? Instructors are being supported in a way that no other Event Hosts are -- shouldn't we be able to expect a minimum level of courtesy and professionalism? I found the last-minute class cancellation to be frustrating, but the instructor's attitude was much worse. It makes me wonder if he had been planning the cancellation hours (?days?) in advance, but just didn't "have the time" to cancel it properly.

If there isn't currently an SL policy for Class Cancellations, I think Linden should come up with one. For example, instructors who cancel scheduled classes without at least 4 hours notice should be suspended for a month from further Education Event Support. The specifics could be tweaked -- I can understand if someone has an emergency to tend to, but I don't think working on a more lucrative SL contract qualifies as an emergency.

I've only been in SL a few weeks, so apologies if I'm posting this in the wrong place or if I've posted something already covered. I welcome any and all feedback.

In my experience, being brushed off as you report is pretty atypical. I've even passed on messages to let people know that a class has been cancelled from folks who were (e.g.) unable to log in at the proper time. If it was as you report, that was kinda inconsiderate of the instructor.

Linden Lab policy on attendance at events has always required that a list of attendees be submitted prior to payment for holding the class and I've even noticed - at times - liaisons hovering over an event presumably for spot-check auditing of attendence.

I will seek you out in world to help you see that your actual goal of getting started with scripting gets attended to.