The Iowa Attorney General’s office is suing the Fort Dodge-based La James International College on consumer fraud charges, alleging deceptive and unfair practices. The lawsuit was filed in Polk County District Court and stated that many of the students experiences is that it’s a school with extraordinary turnover on instructors, resulting in classrooms with no instructors, inconsistent instruction, lack of access to practice their skills and an institution that treats the instructors more like free labor than students.

La James operates cosmetology and massage schools and salons in Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Fort Dodge, Iowa City and Johnston. The company is privately owned by Cynthia Becher. The lawsuit seeks a court order banning the defendants from misleading and concealing material information from students, unspecified reimbursement to students and unspecified penalties and costs.

There has been no comment by La James officials on the lawsuit filed Thursday.

(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)