I would never sue any of my instructors.... because they would never do anything that would cause me harm. I read all these stories and think to myself if people spent just a little more time in the selection of their teachers, then more people wouldn't find themselves in these types of situations. My teachers don't act the way that other teachers do. That's why I study with them and call them my teachers. What is ridiculous is getting yourself in these types of situations in the first place. Martial arts instructors always preach about avoiding dangerous situations -- these situations are not limited to physical altercations only.
With the exception of experienced practitioners, most of those signing up for MA lessons are not martial arts instructors.
Again, I do agree, and have commented in the past, that people are remiss in their research into MA schools. Consumers will put more effort into researching a toaster for a good deal than they will in their choice of school.
However, each of us is responsible for our own actions. Martial arts instructors also preach about honesty and integrity. The tenets of one of the larger taekwondo federations actually include such virtues, and many schools do adopt them, even if they are not part of that federation. They are responsible for their actions when those actions are dishonest or underhanded in some way. The fact that the student may be gullible or ignorant does not change that in any way.
Another thing is that people change over time. An individual that I know who instructs was a very different person eight years ago. He does all the things he swore he'd never do as an instructor. The change has come mainly over the last four years as the economy has been poor and he has had some personal issues. Nothing that anyone is going to sue him for; he's a little slow on the draw with association certificates, but he always tells people that they will receive it within six months and they always do.
But the way that he runs his school now is such that I would never send anyone to him, whereas eight years ago, his school was a fantastic place to train and I used to send people his way all the time (he teaches an art that I do not practice). Now, it is a glorified daycare center and the adult program has disintegrated as he teaches less and less, often handing the classes off to first and second dan teens, many of whom he skipped past the last couple of belts in order to promote them because he had a staffing need.
The man is a good man and he certainly knows his stuff. But the pressures of poor economy, more than one school, and some personal issues (nothing sensational) have caused a major shift in his priorities.
I suspect that new adult students see what he is about and shy away (his classes are mostly kids, and his adult classes tend to be mixed with kids as well). Parents, on the other hand, just see kids in nice white gis and colorful belts jumping around and having fun. It looks like a family friendly atmosphere (and actually, it is), so they sign up their kids for one of those obligatory contracts. The kids get little meaningful training, but are satisfied with a new belt every month or two.
Anyone doing a modicum of research within the past two years would say 'no thanks' unless they were mainly after daycare or just wanted their kid(s) in a pleasant environment. But eight or nine years back, it was a different story.
Another local school had a sterling reputation for like three or four decades. Still has a good rep to my knowledge, but the owner passed away and the new owner just 'isn't him.' I have never heard anything bad about the place, but the glowing praise is not there any longer either. Could just be that people were enamored with the old man and the new man simply suffers from unjust comparison. The point is, however, if you signed up five or six years ago, you were taught by the old man, but due to death, that would have changed a year or two after sign up.
Things change. People change. Sometimes, there is no way to predict that.
Daniel
