I'm actually here at work though.  Coughing, sniffling, sneezing, medicating every few hours but it's better than laying in bed for 24hrs a day feeling like I'm going to melt or my head asplode.  My boss asked me if I'd like to work at home again today and that I didnt' have to force myself to come in if I wasn't up to it.  I considered going back home for the last half of the day but I'm still here and it's 3:30pm.  I think I'll be fine for the rest of the day.  One drawback is the flicker of the monitor.  I'm having a hard time focusing from time to time.  Keeping it short, but real... But not really. 

 

 Martial arts instructor fires BB gun at 8-year-old

by SCOTT GUTIERREZ
THE OLYMPIAN

Jan. 27, 2006

OLYMPIA — Police are investigating a martial arts instructor who disciplined an 8-year-old student by shooting him in the abdomen with an Airsoft gun loaded with plastic BBs.

The boy’s parents filed a complaint this week against Scott Morgan, sensei and president of Black Lake Jujutsu, a nonprofit dojo at 1202 Black Lake Blvd. that offers an after-school program for youngsters to study homework and martial arts. It also has adult classes.

The boy was not seriously hurt. The BB, fired from about six feet away, caused some pain and left a red mark that lasted a few days. His parents have pulled him from the program. The case was assigned to an officer to investigate, Olympia police Sgt. John Hutchings said Thursday. The incident happened Monday, after the student threw a pencil at another student. Morgan said he made an error in judgment and apologized to the student and the student’s mother. He said he had been ill and stressed and was frustrated with the student’s disruptive behavior. He said it was a “knee-jerk” reaction.

“When I make my mistakes, I have to be responsible enough to say I was wrong,” he said. The boy’s mother, Rebecca Orbeck, said she’s disturbed by the behavior and by the fact that the instructor didn’t tell her until she confronted him. Her son reported it to her Tuesday, the day after it happened. The boy was taken into Morgan’s office, where he sat down, she said. The instructor then said “this is going to hurt” as he picked up the gun and fired once, according to Orbeck and her son. The boy said the office door was closed; Morgan said his door was open.

“I just want to make sure other kids are safe,” Orbeck said. “I feel that, as an adult, he should know better. He’s there to set an example, and this is not the type of discipline he’s trying to teach those kids. I can’t believe he did that.” Both of the boy’s parents work for The Olympian. Airsoft guns often are used during games in which participants try to shoot each other with paintballs or plastic BBs. The Orbecks said they wonder why the gun was at the dojo.

Morgan said the spring-loaded gun belongs to his son, who stores it at the school. His son and older students occasionally strap on safety goggles and use Airsoft guns for games. It was out on his desk, which is why he reached for it Monday. He said he now keeps it locked up.

He said he has never used it on another student.

 

----------------->8 SNIP! 8<-------------------

 

Now I'm big on discipline in the class.  They are there to learn some skills, respect and to "toughen up."  I've had my share of getting physical for one reason or another in the middle of my classes.  (This is me in my classes, not how I teach with the children.)  I believe that some sort of repercussion should be in order for a disruptive student, but shooting them with an Airsoft gun?  How is that even part of the regimen?  Now if this was part of a self defence course it would be acceptable, but only for the class setting.  It seems that the Airsoft gear isn't even part of the dojo at all.  Not to play the dead horse of what if's but what if the child moved and he got hit in the eye?  Airsoft is just as dangerous to the eyes as Paintball.  That's why there are masks involved when properly using such equipment.  The "knee-jerk" reaction as he says?  Poor excuse.  A knee-jerk reaction is done when getting tapped and a return tap comes into play.  Reaching for an Airsoft pistol, taking aim and shooting a student is nowhere close to knee-jerk.  Some people.

 

Oh my god...  I've been getting sick for the whole weekend and it finally hit me on the way home from my parent's house last night.  I started feeling numb and hot on the whole ride.  I started getting a sore throat and had to clear my throat for almost the whole ride home.  Probably the best thing that I did for myself last night was take a dose of generic NyQuil.  I was out not even 20 minutes after I took it.  Great sleep.  Then I got up this morning.  As soon as I opened my eyes I couldn't stop coughing.  I hacked up some tasty throat oysters at least 3 times before I walked out the door to go to work.  I'm quite medicated but I'm not sure how long this will last. 

 

I just got off the phone with the Community Education Head Coordinator about an issue that started up during my Women's Self Defense class from last wednesday.  I informed her that my class was rudely interrupted by this Youth Basketball coach that thought it would be a good idea to have a load of kids just rush our alloted time and space for my class (in a gym) for his practice.  Many rude stares from our camp to the coach weren't enough for him to get the hint that the gym was mine till 7:30pm and his time started promptly at 7:30pm.  Since he was nice and rude I chose to go ahead and hold my class over about 10 minutes just for the inconvenience.  All the gear was in the middle of their shooting lane.  Not my problem. 

 

Apparently, he stopped into the office on Saturday to ask for more gym time.  This was going to be reviewed but now that I called and informed them that he did this, he's SOL for a while when he needs special arrangements.  It seems that this joker with his youth basketball program has asked for favors in the past and has over stepped his boundaries time and time again.  Looks like special consessions are out the door for him.

 

My call to her was positive regardless of the situation.  She was happy that it was handeled that way it was (with me calling her instead of creating any confrontation.)  I figured that she can handle it the way she sees fit, and she did.  

 

Oh yeah...  He was also called twice earlier in the week and once during the week before to tell him that he is to wait till 7:30pm.  He, of course, said no problem and other crap like that while he was on the phone.  He obviously didn't care enough to be respectful to others trying to get their classes done.  Oh well... His loss.