On September 15, 2012 Scholar and Warrior Kenpo Academy hosted an open invitation seminar. Several invitations were sent out prior to many of the surrounding Kenpoists. Included in the 100+ invitations were invitations to not only Mr. Mark Bundy of Cameron, Missouri; but also some of his students.
Three of Mr. Bundy's students accepted this offer. They unfortunately were not able to make it to the specified seminar time for their age group however they did stay and spend the day with us during the rest of the seminars occurring that day because they wanted to spend some time with the instructor.
These three individuals asked to participate in our regular classes for a short time span, and Gene and I agreed to allow it. After their trial period concluded the individuals decided they would like to transfer schools. Gene and I accepted them as long as they notified Mr. Bundy that they were leaving his school. Notification took place and on October 8, 2012 all three individuals enrolled officially as students of Scholar and Warrior Kenpo Academy.
On October 13, 2012 Mr. Bundy decided rather than addressing this situation privately with Gene and I he would bring this to the public through Facebook. Mr. Bundy wrote;
- "Wow, so now I have to be straight forward to people that deserve neither respect or the rank they wear because of their attitudes. To the Kenpo group in St. Joseph, Missouri. It's one thing to trash talk the man who brought you to the current rank you wear, and gave you your start in Kenpo. It's totally another to talk to his students of 5 years behind his back, and recruit them to your school with sweet talk and lies. When they win their next tournament, have the decency to give credit to the man who trained them to the level of proficiency they possess.....ME. Now I must, because of YOUR attitudes and hatefulness, Deny any and all rank bestowed by me to you. You do not exist in my lineage, and will never be referred to as former students of mine. I certainly hope that someone in the future returns to you, what you have done to me. See you at tournament......be prepared."
These students were not offered promotions of rank, nor any other sort bribe. In fact they were demoted from First Degree Jr. Black Belts to First Degree Jr. Brown Belts because Scholar and Warrior Kenpo Academy does not promote anyone under the age of 16 to Black Belt. Mr. Bundy's former students pursued Gene and I and came to visit our school on their own accord. They were dissatisfied with the instruction they were receiving with Mr. Bundy and sought a new instructor. These things do happen and Gene and I felt there was no reason to refuse them as long as they notified Mr. Bundy that they no longer wanted to be his students. As a man that has had at least four different instructors since I have known him (which is just over four years as I began training in July of 2008) I would expect Mr. Bundy to be familiar with this process and understand that sometimes students move on.
Why Mr. Bundy felt the need to handle this situation publicly and even go as far as to add a semi threatening phrase at the end of his rant is beyond me. Unfortunately all it has done is embarrass three children and their parents.
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