Should children be given black belts?

[bushido_man96]

Good thoughts, Patrick.

As for the thread title: no one should be given a black belt. It must be earned...

[DWx]

...it could be a way to make more money, forcing them to test twice and earn the same belt twice.

Think that brings up another problem I have with people not allowing younger people to have belts. Fair enough if you give a them a "junior" blackbelt because they've tested with reduced requirements but if they test on the same standards and are expected to know and do the same things as adults I don't think its fair to make them test again. Especially if they have to pay for it twice. And they should have the opportunity to test on the same level as adults and not be forced to test as a child just because they're not old enough.

[Cable Dog]

I know that at least in my dojo, you had to be 18 to attain black belt rank. And until you reached 18 years of age, you gained belts in half-belts. Ie: White, White w/black stripe, Yellow, Yellow w/black stripe, etc.

[Rateh]

Thinking about what Patrick said, we don't actually have a line in the sand that says "here is the age that you must be". But realistically based on the mental and physical requirements to gain 1st degree, I don't see anyone under the age of 12 making it. Yes we have a few 12 year-olds, who have taken the same test as the rest of us. Last year it was 9 hours over the course of 2 days, so no gimme belts.

We do have a minimum age of 18 for 3rd degree however.

[ninjanurse]

...it could be a way to make more money, forcing them to test twice and earn the same belt twice.

Think that brings up another problem I have with people not allowing younger people to have belts. Fair enough if you give a them a "junior" blackbelt because they've tested with reduced requirements but if they test on the same standards and are expected to know and do the same things as adults I don't think its fair to make them test again. Especially if they have to pay for it twice. And they should have the opportunity to test on the same level as adults and not be forced to test as a child just because they're not old enough.

In my association you are not required to test "again", you just transition to adult rank at your next testing once you turn 16.

[jsteczko]

I think there must be an age limit. 18 or something similar.

But maybe it will be "ok" if the kid was training since he/she was 5 years old. Very hard to answer this question.

A kid can get a rank, but he will have to grow up to gain more respect from adults.

[Patrick]

Thanks Brian and Danielle.

[sensei8]

The JKA has some of the strictest requirements for Dan grading, to ensure consistent quality throughout the more than 100 countries in which it is represented. It is just not the case that grades are 'awarded' if not for actual competency.

JKA Examiners must possess proper grading licenses, obtained after specific theoretical and practical examinations. The allowable Examiner's License Rank, according to dan grade is:

D class = 3 DAN (25 years old or older)

C class = 4 DAN

B class = 6 DAN

A class = 7 DAN

These licenses must be reviewed and renewed or upgraded every 3 years.

The minimum examiner's rank required for a JKA-registered dan grading is:

To grade a JKA SHODAN, the Examiners required are 1A Class or (1B + 1C) or above

To grade a JKA NIDAN, the Examiners required are 1A or (1B + 3C) or above

To grade a JKA SANDAN, the Examiners required are (1A + 1B) or above

To grade a JKA YONDAN, the Examiners required are (1A + 2B) or above

To grade a JKA GODAN, the Examiners required are (2A + 2B) or above

For example: In order to be able to grade a student to 1st Dan, a single grading examiner must be as a minimum a 7th Dan and the holder of a current Examiner 'A' license.

 

Otherwise, there must be a 6th Dan with a B licence and a 4th Dan with a C license.

This is unfortunately a far cry from what happens in other organizations…that is why any Dan grade is seldom equivalent to a JKA Dan grade.

[malanovaus]

A kid can get a rank, but he will have to grow up to gain more respect from adults.

I was the second person my instructor had ever promoted to Black Belt under the age of 18, having been 15 when I earned my Shodan. And he'd been operating a dojo for over 25 years at that point. And it took many many, many years to earn the respect of the more senior yudansha at my school.

In the organization I belong to there are very few still who under the age of 18 are promoted to Black Belt for all of the mentions that have been mentioned above.

[Lupin1]

I was the second person my instructor had ever promoted to Black Belt under the age of 18, having been 15 when I earned my Shodan. And he'd been operating a dojo for over 25 years at that point. And it took many many, many years to earn the respect of the more senior yudansha at my school.

I think that's the way it is even with adult new black belts. Even an 18 or 20-year-old kid will take years to gain the respect of the more senior yudansha. A 40-year-old new black belt will still take awhile, although maybe not quite as long. I think in any adult organization it takes awhile for young adults to grow into the group and been seen as equal and if a 30-year-old were to join a group of 65+ people, they probably wouldn't be taken as seriously at first. And, as a young adult myself, I think it's a little justified. The majority of us just don't share that life experience with the older adults, regardless of our skills within the group. It's just the way the world naturally is. I personally don't have a problem with it, but I can see why some people do.