define instructor qualifications and responsibilities sounds good, especially the second part, which you mention but then fail to address.
IMO, obtaining a license doesn't guarantee minimal standards/responsibilities will be followed by those instructing with the license. I think this has been demonstrated for years across the State.
That was one of my primary concerns/requests going back several years now, was the apparent absence of minimal standards being upheld by some of the local instructors. When I stated (on this forum) it might be a good idea for local instructors to agree upon some minimum standards (primarily riding/teaching distance from shore) I was met with much hostility and told I was trying to "start something". In fact I was. I was trying to start a safe local trend.
I am sure you remember this exchange on this forum. For anyone reading this, no, Steve S. was not the one being hostile.
My goal with this simple request was to insure a minimum riding distance from shore along the beaches (100 feet) as well as a minimal teaching distance from shore/other kiters. I thought and still think this is very appropriate to expect minimal standards from instructors to be upheld. I think Steve S would agree to this. I can't help but think following minimal standards while teaching is one goal of certification.
I have seen/had exchanges with many instructors over the years regarding this topic. One such incident occurred at Lassing with an instructor teaching a guy in 25 knot winds, on a c kite, with no helmet, immediately upwind from a bunch of trees (maybe 60 feet from shore). He was holding on to his student by his harness, as his student was getting semi-lofted over and over, lifted them both up out the water. I told the guy to move further out, put a helmet on his student or stop teaching, as he was endangering his student. He shot a bird at me as rode away, and that is when the "fun" started. He told me he was licensed and could do whatever he wanted. I would say ten guys saw that one. It was beyond a joke to me how the instructor was risking this guy's life. One mess up and the guy was going to jam into the trees. I still can't believe some 'licensed' instructors are that stupid, and to me, proves a license doesn't in and of itself mean a thing. Obviously I refused to let the guy risk his student's life and the lesson ended.
Certification means someone was exposed to the "right" ways to do things, but being exposed to something hardly insures the practices are adopted. For some instructors, it means they cared enough to get licensed and take their instructing seriously. I understand that and would never claim that all instructors are bad. Obviously many, such as yourself, care.
For others though, it appears that once certified, they feel "above it all" and can do as they please. The irony. If I were an instructor, this would piss me off to no end.
I know you mean well Steve, it's obvious. However, I think that I am stating the obvious as well - that flashing an IKO or PASA card doesn't mean that an instructor follows any guidelines or is any good at what they do. So, I think declaring that this is the solution (only allowing certified instruction to occur) falls short. I am quite confident that I would instruct someone much better and in a safer manner than some certified instructors. Again, as I have stated in the past (especially since I would do it for free) don't expect me to ever not teach someone, if I desire. I taught Donna, and can't imagine feeling safe handing her over to some of the instructors I have seen. It simply wouldn't have happened.
If you really want to make an impact, maybe you could get all local instructors to agree to some basic standards of teaching along the beaches, at EB, etc. That is the second part of your opening statement (define responsibilities). Not teaching immediately upwind of people along the beaches and at Lassing would be a great start to defining responsibilities of local instructors, which has never been accomplished, although it has been attempted a couple times. I am not implying that a majority of instructors do teach immediately upwind of people. I am simply hoping that an agreed to statement will give non-instructors more leverage when approaching the "bad-apple" instructors. That has always been my goal and it blows me away how much resistance this simple idea has received in the past.
Thanks Steve S.