Do I tell my Sensei?

This is a can of worms you do not need to open!!!!! Stay away. Just nod at the man then if you have to train with him then ask your sensei that for personal reasons you can not train, spar with this man. He , sensei, will be able to see your discomfort. It is OK to not respect the man for being a pig but it is none of your world what he did, does, or will do in the future. It saddens me to think that someone like you with integrity would have something as your training which, should always b stress free environment to learn and grow. Just keep your slate clean and your vigil ever present.

Well I were your sensei I would like to know about this. I know that many people have said it's not dojo business. This all depends on the dojo. For some schools martial arts is simply a business. Teachers care somewhat to the extent that it might affect their pocketbook. Some instructors are only about the physical aspect of the art and could care less about a person's character or moral integrity. Some instructors care a great deal. I happen to be the head instructor at my school. I'm also the second head in the organization. I'm only saying that so you know what I might expect and what some instructors might expect.

Our school values moral and mental excellence as well as the physical aspect. Because of that, if one of my students was acting as you described I'd like to know. There probably wouldn't be a big issue about it. However I would know that someone else had a problem with this student and why, and I would also know to keep a close eye on them and what they do.

On a different note, you may also want to talk to your sensei about it just to feel him out. It sound like you have a solid moral foundation. Since "birds of a feather flock together" you may just want to see what your teachers have to say about it as well. It would be sad to invest more time and energy into an art, organization, school, etc. Only to find out later that at your core (morals and integrity) you differ greatly. You may find one day that your sensei or other instructors are the ones you are starting to lack respect for. Better to find all that out now.

Good Luck

PS- In case someone wondered.. this is why I would care to know

Harrasment in class - I can't be everywhere all the time, know who to trust in certain situations and who I shouldn't

"spirit" of the school - every class, every school has a certain atmosphere. when one person gets far enough along, they begin to help and teach others.. that attitude gets passed down the chain. If you let it go long enough, you'll look up and have a whole generation of students that you have a problem with

School respect - most students realize that they in some way "reflect" their school. Their actions and what people see of them reflects as well (the same way people judge religions by religous fanatics people judge schools by the @**holes that attend there)

I'm in it for the art not the money. At the end of the day, as much as I appreciate someone paying their tuition it means little if anything to me. I'm in it for everyone not just one person. If one apple can spoil the bunch.. well you know.

It's tradition. If we're not preserving tradition then what are we doing? It's about keeping alive not just an art, but beliefs, attitudes, and honor. All are equally important.

This sounds like a problem that should be held outside of a dojo. If it creates a problem while inside the dojo, then bring it up. But if this person keeps his poor behaviour out of the dojo and doesn't let his behaviour affect other students, it is not the business of the sensei to worry about it.

What exactly is your problem with this man? Obviously he was not a good supervisor and his honor and integrity is little, if any. He was obviously disciplined for his actions (losing his job) and may be facing other actions (divorce, financial, emotional).

As long as he is not out for revenge, confronting you about his past, or threatening you, you should focus on your martial arts training and forget about this person whom you have little respect for.

Legalities aside, I don't see how this is the dojo's problem.

If you were seated next to him at your favorite restaurant, would you tell the manager about your problems with him?

Statistics show that 1 in 44 people have served jail time and/or are on probation. Think about that the next time you are in church, the movie theater, and your dojo.

Even if this person's actions harmed you personally, which from your question seems you were merely a witness to his actions to others, there is a point in time where you have to move on. For some, counseling works. For others, working out or finding a hobby works, too. You might just find inner peace with martial arts.

Best of luck.

It's not bthe business of the Sensei OR the school to know personal business or personal problems the students may have with one another for whatever reasons no matter how wrong they are or were.

No you don't tell your Sensei anything because it's personal business and will have NO EFFECT on anything in class, you guys are there to train, not see who can be the biggest rat and tell everyone's discretions no matter how recent or past tense it is.

He may have less respect for him in the end. But he still must be an instructor and teach him since he's a student and paying him for the service of teaching.

Whatever BS he's done in the past will prob'ly mean very little to the Sensei or the class, nor will it have any effect on his training.

By doing this, The Sensei will lose respect in you as well and look like a whiny little rat that tells about everybody else's business.

If this guy does some s**t later on that compromises himself as a Martial Artist then the Sensei may cut him from the class, but until then, you'll just have to ask the Sensei not to pair you with him during training but he may not do so just because you have a personal problem with this guy and his morals or attitude.

but it doesn't hurt to ask him, about not pairing you with this guy anytime during training.

Last question 1st, I'm not a lawyer, but I can't imagine that you are under any legal constraints since he never worked for you or retained you in any professional capacity.

I would not mention it. This was in the past. Treat him like you do any other student of his rank. If he does anything directly connected to your Dojo, that is a different matter. If you feel his behavior might reflect poolly on the school &/or the instructor, I think you have an obligation to tell your Sensei, but do it privately.

To me it sounds like you might not want to say anything. The only reason that I say that is because you should also try to keep personal problems out of the dojo and it sounds like you and him are not working or training together.

However if you are training with him or he is giving you a hard time then you should say something.

To tell you the truth I would maybe mention his name to sensei and see what he says and if he asked you why you ask then tell him that you use to work with him. I would not do this unless you somewhat know your sensei.

just wondering what style do you study

Basically you're asking us whether or not you should become a gossipy teenage girl. The answer is no. Your sensei will think less of you for bringing outside business into his dojo. Just tell your sensei that you want to challenge this pig of a man and get it done on the mat.

Well if you tell your sensei specific reasons why you don't respect the guy and it gets out, he could sue you for slander........even if you know what you said is true he could make your life hell.

Why couldn't you join another dojo? It may be an inconvenience to you but if you really hate this guy then why should you have to see him.

This really is a difficult moral question and it ultimatly can only be answered by you. In my expereince, when you rock the boat.........you end up getting in over your head. It may just end up biting you in the *** so I say suck it up and either ignore him or change dojos.

Hm... no, I wouldn't tell the teacher. I don't like what the guy did any more than you do, but it's his personal business and it's limited to the work environment. So it really isn't any of the dojo's or the sensei's business.

You can tell the sensei that you don't want to train with him or spar him- you don't have to tell him why- and he'll make sure you don't have to deal with him too much.