Thanks, everyone.
Again, this is for my friend, not for me.
1. I've advised him to talk to a lawyer, as he can tell that person in confidence what really happened, especially if there are embarrassing parts.
2. I also advised him to look at the labor laws. A fellow teacher said that labor laws rule supreme, and these breach penalty contracts, even if they are in the contract, are not enforceable, as the labor laws will always prevail. Do you guys have an opinion about that?
3. For my own sake, what are the legal technicalities of leaving a job early? In our contracts, it says they can withhold the last month's salary and keep $3000 USD in case of termination, resignation, etc. But, of course, I think that's an unfair term of employment. What is the legal rule of dealing with this?
Thanks!