Two levels of martial arts, PED 237 and 238, have been canceled from the Health Promotion and Wellness department for the Fall 2013 semester.

The cancellation of the classes, both taught by Derek Spadora, have caused many students who were once registered for the class left with confusion and concern as to why the class is no longer being provided.

Eric Anderson, a junior business administration major, said the class was cancelled due to discrepancies as to how the classes should be structured and taught to Oswego State students.

“They believe it’s too much like MMA and not structured enough, meanwhile nothing we do in the class is relevantly close to MMA,” Anderson said. “Everything is form, spiritual techniques including meditation that’s been passed down for thousands of years.”

Bryan Wood, a senior broadcasting major, was registered in Martial Arts I (PED 237). Wood said the class made him feel better than he had felt in a long time.

“I was in Marital Arts One Wednesday afternoon, professor Spadora came in, he was late which is unusual. We were all sitting down, ready to begin then doing stretches and stuff, we had only one day of teaching work then we had Labor Day and we were going to start learning more on Monday,” Wood said. “We were doing physical stretches, actually working the body, working the spirit and everything.”

Wood said that Spedora told the class that he didn’t want to teach a course he did not believe in. Spedora spared the class the details because, according to Wood, he didn’t want the students to be involved in the politics.

A Facebook event was created by Anderson, Kayla D’agostino and Tamara Leigh calling all students to come show their support in favor of saving Spadora’s class. Fifty students said they would attend and multiple students and alum showed their support for the cause on the event’s page.

Roughly 30 students were in the Academic Quad Friday at 2:30 p.m. to show their support. Spadora, who goes by Bodi, was also in attendance with several members of his team. Fliers were handed out and Spadora made a short speech to the group.

More information will follow in this weeks’ issue of The Oswegonian.