Inclusion and sensitivity.
Shorin Goju Karate as a school has a policy of being open and accessible to anyone who is able to participate even if that ability is limited or requires some accommodations. The ability to fully participate in Shorin Goju and to be ranked and promoted is never to be judged based on anything other than individually contextualized ability, knowledge and ethics. Bigotry of any sort can be grounds for disciplinary action which could include requirements for sensitivity training or which can be as extreme as being ejected from the school with all appointments and ranks becoming nullified.
We do not discriminate for any reason including, race, *religion, ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, political beliefs, **affective orientation, gender, ***gender identity, familial structure, physical, emotional or mental challenges or age****. People shall not be discriminated on based on previous studies.
Rather than embrace an atmosphere of *****tolerance we strive for an atmosphere of acceptance and full inclusion and participation. Anyone seeking to instruct in Shorin Goju will be required to have full acceptance toward others and mere tolerance will not be enough.
There is no bigotry allowed within our classes and functions. This includes statements or actions that create an exclusive or unwelcoming atmosphere to anyone based on who that person is. Martial artists of other schools are to be welcomed so long as they are presenting an accepting attitude and are there to respectfully observe or participate.
A student will be respected in all ways and will be identified according to his or her expressed identity. Family structure will be respected and anyone considered as being a parent, child, spouse, partner or family member to the student will be treated as such regardless of local social customs. This will extend to 'family' pricing specials etc.
Our school will attempt to accommodate any and all students. A person may be excluded from our schools for misuse of the art or an expressed intention to do so, misuse or abuse of office, authority or position.
The head of Shorin Goju Robert Barton has signed a pledge with Athlete Ally to insure that bigotry will not be accepted in the Shorin Goju Family.
*This is understood to include the absence of religion for the individual.
** This is often listed as sexual orientation but we recognize here that attraction is and should be about far more that sex.
*** This is understood to include any gender identity or a specific lack of gender identity or refusal to gender identify.
**** Any age may study as able, but we do not place the responsibility of carrying a dan ranking upon a person who is not yet sufficiently mature. Some 16 year olds may be judged sufficiently mature to carry a black belt. But this is not a given.
***** Tolerance is not the goal because tolerance indicates that there is something to be tolerated and that someone has some type of innate superiority and so is tolerating others. We need to learn to accept one another and for a Shorin Goju instructor that acceptance is expected.
