This is one of the reasons I am very particular about whom I take classes with.
I would never agree to participate in such an act, from any perspective. As a student I would have asked for my money back and packed up and left.
I know A LOT of instructors, and none would allow such negligent behavior.
You , I , and Spreadfirearms are all in agreement on Tactical Response's training methods{ this would be my asteroid coming in face}
This is , from what I hear, standard practice with TR. SFA made some pretty good comments on AR15.com in the HTF Texas on a thread posting notice that TR would be in Bastrop in September. SFA declined an invitation to shoot with them for free because of the safety practices and no one would send him a copy of their liability insurance. I am pretty sure that TR's insurance would drop them like a hot rock if they knew that having people downrange during live fire was part of their training agenda.