Breaking bonds with your Grand Master.

[Miles]

Sorry to read about the problems you've encountered.

Best of luck with your decision.

 

[bluewaveschool]

Go independent. I train at an independent school and wouldnt have it any other way. No politics, no larger org telling you what you have to do and changing the curriculum etc. Before I joined martial talk I didnt even know what the kukkiwon was. Im very proud of my rank and everything I have achieved and in no way feel my rank is of any less significance just because my club doesnt belong to an organisation. It also certainly doesnt deter students from joining (only poor instruction does that), as we have a huge club that has grown even more rapidly since going independent.

Ralph must be my across the world twin. I had vaguely heard of the kukkiwon, don't deal with politics at my dojang from some umbrella org, and assure my students that a piece of paper with fancy script they paid lots of money for /= knowledge and skill.

 

[RSweet]

I wrote about this for the October 1995 Inside Taekwondo, later reprinted different places. The article is called "Demanding Accountability from Our Masters" and I could have written it yesterday.

I learned that the world outside the GM is wonderful and there are a lot of helpful people who can help promote, I can point you in those directions without asking you to affiliate. There are so many who have been in the same boat that you will wonder why you anguished over the decision.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

Go independent. I train at an independent school and wouldnt have it any other way. No politics, no larger org telling you what you have to do and changing the curriculum etc. Before I joined martial talk I didnt even know what the kukkiwon was. Im very proud of my rank and everything I have achieved and in no way feel my rank is of any less significance just because my club doesnt belong to an organisation. It also certainly doesnt deter students from joining (only poor instruction does that), as we have a huge club that has grown even more rapidly since going independent.

Ralph summed it up pretty nicely there. I would pick a legitimate NO POLITICS org to join just to amp up your credentials (new students look for that), but just read what Ralph wrote.

AoG