# "Belt tag?" Really?



## Carol (May 20, 2013)

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/...-karate-instructor-accused-of-sexual-assault/

TL;DR
He's 40. She's 10.


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## K-man (May 20, 2013)

Carol said:


> http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/...-karate-instructor-accused-of-sexual-assault/
> 
> TL;DR
> He's 40. She's 10.


 Not sure exactly what he is alleged to have done.  Just goes to show how careful you have to be when you are teaching kids. Let's hope he is innocent as he claims.    :asian:


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## rlobrecht (May 21, 2013)

My old dojang sometimes plays a game, which someone could call belt tag.  Basically a 9" strip of belt is stuck in the back of every students belt.  The sparring gear goes on.  The goal is to pull the strips off the others, while keeping your strip protected.  The winner is the last one with a strip.

I'm not sure how that would apply in a private lesson situation.

I know many parents see martial arts (or gymnastics, Scouts, football, whatever) as a babysitter, but we like to be involved with our children.  Almost 100% of the time, my wife and I will stay to watch our children's activities.  I would never consider leaving a child alone in a 1 on 1 situation with an adult.


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## K-man (May 21, 2013)

rlobrecht said:


> I'm not sure how that would apply in a private lesson situation.


That should teach me to read the article properly.  Why is a 10 year old girl having a private lesson anyway?


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## Blindside (May 21, 2013)

K-man said:


> That should teach me to read the article properly.  Why is a 10 year old girl having a private lesson anyway?



Private lesson is fine, private lesson with no parents around is a problem.

I don't teach kids, but that is just common sense.


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## zDom (May 23, 2013)

Blindside said:


> Private lesson is fine, private lesson with no parents around is a problem.
> 
> I don't teach kids, but that is just common sense.



Just so. As even the allegation of inappropriate behavior can ruin someone's reputation, I have long maintained that instructors should NEVER be alone with a minor student out of sight of other people. I've asked the parent of the first student dropped off to please remain at the school (when there are no other instructors, students or parents around) until others arrive.


There is just too much to lose.


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## skribs (Oct 8, 2015)

> Just so. As even the allegation of inappropriate behavior can ruin someone's reputation, I have long maintained that instructors should NEVER be alone with a minor student out of sight of other people. I've asked the parent of the first student dropped off to please remain at the school (when there are no other instructors, students or parents around) until others arrive.
> 
> 
> There is just too much to lose.



I go through old forum posts sometimes and read something and think "I agree with that," and then realize it was written by Skribs.  I thought this was going to be one of those times until I saw it was antoher name, it sounds a LOT like something I would have said.

My Mom has been involved with youth ministry all my life.  She was a secretary at Youth For Christ for many years, and works at her church as an office manager now.  She has always been involved in Sunday School, AWANA, and similar kids programs.  At our church, it was always a rule that no 2 people off opposite genders be alone together, and no adult is ever with a minor (especially of the opposite sex) without someone else present.

I apply this same principle to Taekwondo.  I have yet to teach a full class without my Master and his wife at least in the building, but I have started a few without them there, and sometimes I beat them to the dojang and open up.  Some parents ask if they can drop their kid off and go do shopping, and I always say "yes, but can you wait to go until at least one other person is here?"

However, sometimes parents will drop their kid off in the parking lot and leave, when I am the only other person there.  In that case there is nothing I can do to avoid it just being me and the kid.  I'm always nervous in this case until someone else shows up.


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