To feel totally repulsed and horrified by this news item about my son's martial art club

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thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1551975-taekwondo-coach-suspended-for-disciplining-teen-n.s.-governing-body-conducting-an

I just randomly came across this news article about my son's martial arts instructor, and I feel really sick. I'm considering withdrawing him but feel that's not a rational response. Fees are also paid for the next three months. Son has been going to this club for several years, never any incidents - the instructor/owner always seems like a perfectly nice polite guy, never saw him yell or anything at students (unlike some other instructors there). What are your reactions? Thanks.

This sums up everything I hate about martial arts.

My child would not be going back there. Thankfully my two DS attend a martial arts class which is true to its core values and would never ever do anything like this,

Sorry got the age of your son wrong. My DS is 11. Id take him out. You'd never be confident if you left him. If this instructor owns the club then surely he will always be involved in some way even if not teaching.

So basically, the case has been fully investigated by police and social services and closed without action.

Except for one anonymous grudge bearer who is continuing to go to the press and stir it up for reasons unknown. You don’t em, know who that is by any chance do you OP?

I'm absolutely sickened by this. Just sickened. OP, you are perfectly right to be considering removing your son. It's not just the actions of one man, but the culture that surrounds it - making the over 13s watch??

No, I would not be comfortable putting my son back in the environment again. And the fact that you came across this story by chance, not because the school informed you, speaks volumes.

I feel sick, too, OP because it reminds me of my school days, when we knew boys were about to be caned by the headteacher. I honestly felt ill for days knowing it was going to happen, everyone was whispering about it, the parents would be brought in beforehand and often to witness it, the tension and stress of being in an environment where large adults could hit (small) children was just horrible. Perverse. Really sick. Hitting people with implements in front of other children/teens.

It doesn't matter whether he 'consented', the other children weren't consented to watch, or the ones who heard it sitting in the changing rooms, knowing that could be them one day.

I can't believe so many people defending this on this thread, we are on the verge of making smacking which doesn't hurt nearly so much as being beaten with a cane, illegal, for which there always seemed so much support on MN, this is really a lot worse.

Er, yanbu OP and I can't believe some of the responses you've had here!

So many excusing caning a child - It's like I've walked into weird paddle-punishment Christian fundamentalist site, not Mumsnet.

Just realised this isn't in the UK - I find it hard to believe he would have got away with this here.

Yeah, I think what people are missing here is that the only accounts we have from the incident are from someone with a clear grudge.

The authorities who’ve looked into this and actually know what happened have decided that no action needs to be taken. No criminal charges, no restrictions on who he can teach, no restrictions on his access to children.

Just goes to show a lie can be halfway around the world before the truth even gets it’s boots on.

Sounds like a business rival out to cause trouble to me.

Also, it was always the boys who were caned. Not the girls in my school. I can't imagine anyone defending the caning of a 17 year old girl in a marshal arts group in front of a group of under/over 13 year old girls. Even if the girl and her parents consented. Aren't boys worth more than this?

Yeah, it’s in Canada with it’s notoriously brutal and authoritarian leader, er, Justin Trudeau. And it’s police and social services who have been notorious for corruption because of, er, um. Well nothing actually, it’s one of the least corrupt countries in the world.

Well, the demographic of Mumsnet has changed from that of the site I joined. No way would you have found apologists for this. I wonder if it's now a go-to site for GFers or if MN just attracts a wider selection of the population these days

Anyway, OP, that's vile. I hate to say it, I'd be looking for a different club. Really. I know it's easy for me to say, and your child has a relationship with the club, and he loves it - but, sadly, I don't think you'd be comfortable there now.

Really Elton?? They haven't denied caning a 17 year old, or doing it in front of children. That's enough for me!

Secondly the Taekwando body has suspended him.

I’m old enough to have been caned at school (in both senses ) but it was a boarding school and a bit behind the times.

I’ve never physically chastised my DCs. I would have been furious if my children had had to witness or hear this, let alone have it meted out to them.

I’d take my child out too and I’m applauding the parent who complained.

Well, the demographic of Mumsnet has changed from that of the site I joined. No way would you have found apologists for this.

My thoughts exactly - but I mostly spend my time on the feminist section now.

I can't believe this would be legal even with parental consent. Certainly never heard it being part of Taekwando. But it might be the police can't press charges with everyone all being so inexplicably agreeable to it This is not allowed in schools - why in a martial arts club?

The Taekwondo association has suspended him. Which it is obliged to do until it has investigated him. It does not imply guilt.

The account we are given in the article is not an official one, but one given by a rival instructor.

The only thing we actually know for certain about this case, from anybody in an official capacity, is that the police and social services both shut the case with zero action and found no wrongdoing.

But you just carry frothing and getting your entertainment from it.

Has it not occurred to any of you that it’s slightly odd a ‘parent’ from Nova Scotia has posted on MN about it?

Nope. I don’t trust anyone who can quite happily use violence against a child in any circumstances. Not my crowd.

We don’t KNOW that he did use violence against a child. In fact the only person saying he did is a rival instructor from the same city. We DO know that both police and social services have investigated and found no concerns.

Why is it slightly odd that a parent would post from NS in Canada? There are posters from all over the world posting anything and everything.

People post stuff from all over, Elton. MN isn't exclusively British. I can name many Mnetters, past and present from across the pond/Canada.

He's been suspended, and I don't anyone denying that the caning happened?

Children cannot consent to corporal punishment - and the parents should know better.

Er the article says the police confirmed the use of the cane (but they think it's okay due to consent.) It doesn't look like its debated whether the violence took place but whether that is okay.

The account given by this ‘parent’ who apparently complained has not been confirmed by any of the apparently huge number of people this ‘parent’ claimed witnessed the event. Police and social services investigated and dismissed the entire allegation.

Some people are so blimmin’ credulous.

We do know. I’m not saying he wasn’t enabled - I’m saying that undernany circumstances, anyone who is happy to cane a child is not someone I want to be near.

Yes, but what the police describe could have been a tap on the back.