In our adult TKD class, the highest ranking non-Dan student is a 13-year-old 2nd Kup (red belt) who seems to suffer from hyperactivity. He's always running around, cartwheeling, dancing (!), and trying to be funny. This bothers me, as someone much older, because this kid should be looking to set an example for me (a 10th kup) and everyone else who's not a black belt.

My question is: should this kid have/be allowed to keep a red belt? Bear in mind, I've seen 9-year-old 9th kups from the Juniors class behave better and more respectfully than him, and right there at his side is a 5th kup his own age who takes classes seriously and has excellent attitude and technique.

Final note: this kid's mother often sits in on classes, and she's a prototypical blonde, upper-middle-class soccer mum. I bet she thinks her little angel is a precious little snowflake and boys will be boys (ignoring the 11 year old 9th kup behaving better than him and actually keeping up with the adults). Also the instructor has told me this kid 'has gotten a bit better', and yet still tells him off regularly (my favourite: 'My foot is about to move across the room and kick you' )

Sorry for the long, rambling dissertation, but this has been bugging me...

Openly showing disrespect towards instructors should not be tolerated, especially by a senior student. I have heard of a few times when we've had kids act that way but usually I just don't see them around the club afterwards.

Do you have any other schools that you can consider? Based on your posts you seem to have some doubts about the instruction and environment at your school...

Hey pdbnb,

As you already have a thread for this discussion, I am going to close this one and send everyone over there: http://www.karateforums.com/immature-rowdy-red-belt-vt44921.html

Thanks,

Patrick