I agree with you, and the overall sentiment. Earlier in the thread someone...I think it was Daniel...made the comment that a decision to take on a handicapped student would be made on a case by case basis. I can understand what he is trying to say, perhaps there are people with disabilities that he doesn't feel he can work with. But isn't a decision to take on any student made on a case-by-case basis? I don't think "handicapped" should be part of the equation there either. There will be students out there that aren't a fit for a school for many reasons.
That was me that said case by case with regards to the first dan.
Again, a lot depends upon the nature of the art and how the person administering the test views the art.
If, for example, you view taekwondo as a systematized method of kicking and punching, and require that first dan candidates be able to proficiently perform a specific list of kicks and punches, then a disabled student who cannot perform the entirety of that list would be inelligible.
If you view taekwondo as a holistic approach to living that happens to include kicking and punching, then it comes down to how the candidate applies the spirit and mindset of taekwondo to what physical skills they can do.
A systematized approach as I mention above is analogous to academic testing; there are people, no matter how much you accomodate them, who will never be able to learn chemistry, physics, and higher math, and such people are usually aided in their life by various associations designed to help those with mental handicaps. The military is the same and does not allow entry to many people with disabilities and in many cases, conditions that are not a disability, but would prevent them from meeting the physical standard that the military has set.
Personally, I prefer the second approach. I am not the military. For a disabled student who is applying the methodology of the art in the areas that he or she can physically perform, I think that a test can be put together to sufficiently challenge that student.
Having said that, there are some people who have disabilities that would prevent them from, proficiently learning the bulk of the material in most MA classes and from having deep comprehension of the philosophy of the art,
but who would still benefit from taking the class.
Can they earn a first dan? This is where 'case by case' comes in in my opinion.
In kendo, if you cannot hold a sword (no use of the hands, or limited use to the point that holding a sword is not a possiblity), most would have a hard time saying yes (I am unaffiliated and teach kendo independently at this point time, so I can actually make that call; kendo gradings beyond nikyu in the FIK are done before a pannel and not at the dojo level). But suppose that person loves being around kendo, does the foot work to the best of their ability, maybe shadowing the sword movements with their arms, and reads and studies sword related material and gains enough understanding that they can actually help other students to better understand the material?
I'm not going to answer the question, as I do not believe that there is a correct answer. So long as they aren't issuing grades to whomever in order to collect a fee or barring people because they want to show off what a hardnose they are, I respect whatever decision a school owner might make. Different school owners have different opinions on this and can provide logical reasons for those opinions.
Personally, I have never had a student with a severe enough handicap that this would have been an issue, though I have worked with handicapped students. If I ever am in a position that this would be a consideration for me, I can only say that I will do the best that I can to help that student do the best that he or she can.
