A Deeply Disappointing and Unwelcoming Environment
Our experience at Blue Dragon Taekwondo was profoundly disappointing. While the school promotes values of respect and inclusivity, our experience revealed a troubling lack of these principles in practice.
On February 8, 2025, another family and I raised concerns with the school's leadership regarding a family repeatedly wearing clothing that featured imagery we perceived as antisemitic and promoting harm against Jewish people. We approached the matter respectfully, provided photo evidence, and emphasized the importance of maintaining a neutral and safe environment for all students. Initially, the leadership seemed to understand our concerns.
However, shortly after raising these issues, both families who voiced concerns were expelled from the school, while the other family was allowed to remain after stating they would be "more mindful." Despite this assurance, similar imagery continued to appear in the following weeks, suggesting that no meaningful action was taken to address the problem. Instead of fostering a safe and inclusive environment, the school chose to remove the families who spoke up.
What was especially heartbreaking was that our child--who had done nothing wrong--was also expelled just three months before earning his black belt. This decision felt profoundly unfair and punitive toward an innocent child. What message does this send? It suggests that speaking up against discrimination can lead to punishment rather than resolution.
To be clear, our concerns were not about cultural or national symbols, such as a keffiyeh or a Palestinian flag sweatshirt. The issue was specific to clothing with explicit antisemitic and violent imagery. A fair and reasonable solution would have been to ask all parties to avoid wearing politically charged or offensive attire. Unfortunately, the school chose a different path, expelling the families who raised concerns while allowing the other family to remain.
Beyond this, the general environment raises additional concerns. The head instructor frequently belittles and yells at students--a behavior that, upon reflection, is not typical of a supportive martial arts school. While the building displays values like "respect, discipline, loyalty, integrity, and courtesy," these values did not align with our experience. Instead, we observed a pattern of inconsistent treatment and exclusion.
While some reviews describe the instruction as "stern," it is important to recognize that experiences can vary, especially for those who raise concerns about discrimination. We would not want any family to endure what ours did.
If you are looking for a martial arts school that truly upholds fairness and inclusivity, we encourage you to explore other options. No child should have to experience an environment where serious concerns about discrimination are ignored. read more
