The Cadets and GH history of sexual abuse (news article)

[BRASSO]

1 hour ago, N.E. Brigand said:

 

Brasso even wants to assert that DCI was made aware of THESE accusations in January when, if you read the words clearly, DCI said they were made aware of THESE accusations when we did.

 

 

 Earlier, when the story broke in the Phily inquirer I assumed that DCI was notified to some extent at least about these alegations.  maybe not all the gory details, but at least that it was big and bad. DCI 's initial press release stated they were made aware of these allegations ( their word ) " recently". Of course,  " recently " is undefined time line. I never really  " asserted " anything though on what DCI knew, nor when they knew it. I just assumed that YEA would not be so derelict in their duties to not comply with their DCI reporting requirements, especially on a matter of sexual abuse allegations that Dan Acheson says he takes " quite seriously " in his role as the Executive Director of DCI.  Today, we got some more info, and the " recently " was clarified to mean " when you all read in in the newspapers ". Well, that sure turns the heat up on those on the YEA BOD big time we'd have to assume with Dan A , out in Indy. All this said, lots of people were hearing rumors back in the fall, early winter that GH was involved in some bad stuff relating to bad behaviors of a sexual nature. Got to believe that back during the holidays, Dan Acheson was not living under a rock out there in Indy. Got to assume that he knew something along these lines was up. I did. Still do. But.. who knows.

Edited April 11, 2018 by BRASSO

[JimF-LowBari]

5 minutes ago, c mor said:

They run fingerprints so it would not work for those who leave discreetly.  Reporting is just up the chain of command, or around it if needed.

If DCI wants to know the truth, they'll install a whistleblower contact phone/email.

 

FBI has my finger prints as part of DoD security checks and have done PA state police and national registry checks for other reasons. But.... if I haven’t been caught then everything is OK.... right..... (sarcasm)

[MikeD]

6 hours ago, Fran Haring said:

Heh... you're heading in while I'm heading out.  LOL

Up to NJ for the weekend for family stuff... and maybe a stop at Point Pleasant at the Shore Friday for some seafood, since the weather looks great.

Which restaurant? We ate at the Wharfside last week. Excellent as always.

[drumcorpsfever]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/drum-and-bugle-corps-sexual-assault-harassment-george-hopkins-share-story-20180409.html

 

It seems as though any time someone attempts to open a dedicated discussion thread on abuse in the activity not directly involving The Cadets, YEA, or George Hopkins, that there is a reluctance to offer a forum for which others to express their personal experiences. 

I understand that DCP is not exactly an open forum for any topic that anyone wishes to engage.  It is, in fact, bound by community rules and those in power to regulate discussion.

However, it is somewhat symptomatic of an insular activity, with  a limited and passionate membership and following, that encourages many to drink the koolaid and see nothing... say nothing,... do nothing. 

Sometimes, encouraging someone to talk to a “trusted advisor, parent, clergy...” falls on deaf ears and has become somewhat scripted in our typical response. It’s similar to “hopes and prayers.”  It’s nice to say, but what are we really doing about it?

Thankfully other forums have already begun to act as a conduit for those who seek help, or simply a means to share their stories. Some of those forums have begun by the corps themselves. So, in the end, some good will come out of all of this.

 

Edited April 11, 2018 by drumcorpsfever

[N.E. Brigand]

3 minutes ago, drumcorpsfever said:

It seems as though any time someone attempts to open a dedicated discussion thread on abuse in the activity not directly involving The Cadets, YEA, or George Hopkins, that there is a reluctance to offer a forum for which others to express their personal experiences.

DCP doesn't want to be sued for defamation.  Submissions to the Inquirer via the piece to which you link will be vetted by reporters before they ever see the light of day there.

[Tristan]

56 minutes ago, Fran Haring said:

Welcome back... even if briefly!!!

Some day, I need to follow your lead and not be here for a while. No objections to any particular post, poster,  or thread... just spending too much time here.

Like the time I just took to write this, I guess.  LOL.

I did that once. Discovered it took me seven years to come back.

[Liahona]

5 minutes ago, drumcorpsfever said:

It seems as though any time someone attempts to open a dedicated discussion thread on abuse in the activity not directly involving The Cadets, YEA, or George Hopkins, that there is a reluctance to offer a forum for which others to express their personal experiences. 

I have spoken mostly privately concerning this. I say it is simply "protectionism" based on the behavior to always shield the corps...granted sexual abuse is a whole other level...but just think of the times many of us have all protected our respected corps for whatever reason..I'm not saying that is a bad thing...but it makes a culture where the corps itself is put first over the individual...and THAT perhaps is not a good thing...

[Kyle B]

1 hour ago, BRASSO said:

 Well, it seemed we ran the horse around the track till it dropped dead today... lol!.., before you finally came around to the conclusion that DCI has the authority to suspend and even expel a Corps from membership if it fails to comply with DCI reporting policies. It was like pulling teeth, garfield, but you came a long way from earlier this weekend when you posted that DCI has little to no authority over member Corps. even this morning, you stated above ( still there ) that all of Dan's comments were confined today what he could do with your words (" DCI employees" ) and not additionally what Dan Acheson believed he had in authority with corps in non compliance with reporting policies, particularly as it relates to allegations of sexual abuse, and non reporting, non compliance of such with his office.. You got there garfield to this understanding now, tonite, but it appears that it just took a circuitous route for to get there it appears, thats all. But you came around now to fully understanding what Dean Acheson reportedly told the reporter today, and what the reporter wrote in the article, and so you have arrived at what appears to be a full understanding of what Dan Acheson actually said to the reporter in its totality in the the article, imo.

 

1 hour ago, garfield said:

Just show me the policy and protocol, my friend.  Show me the policy.

I gave in to your above long ago.  You're still not getting it.

DCI's central harassment policy for corps...find it for me.  Heck, find a reference to it!

You won't.  You can't.  It ain't there (yet).

You can squirm like a June night-crawler and you'll not find it, because it doesn't exist.

There are expectations to have a harassment policies; there is not a single activity-wide harassment policy on which DCI can expel corps for failing to follow.

Period, and goodnight.

 

Honest to god, will the both of you knock it off!  TAKE IT PRIVATE.  We don't want to read your nonsense!   Or are the two of you just trying to run up your post count?

 

I've heard of making a mountain of a molehill, but you've probably wasted enough of everyone's time who is trying to read up on current news regarding this situation bickering back and forth over a detail that you two would rather debate then just asking DCI themselves!  

 

It's not that the topic you both are discussing isn't important...but either discuss this in private or make a new thread devoted to that.  It would already be at 5 pages already!  

 

 

Edited April 11, 2018 by Kyle B

[Jim Schehr]

31 minutes ago, BRASSO said:

Got to believe that back during the holidays, Dan Acheson was not living under a rock out there in Indy. Got to assume that he knew something along these lines was up. I did. Still do. But.. who knows.

IMO it’s hard to believe Dan wasn’t aware. I was made aware of the allegations through the grapevine so to speak and I certainly don’t work at DCI. 

I sent an email to DCI’s attention about a known nationally registered child sex offender involved with an organization and never received a response or acknowledgement.

Sent an email about the lack of security at Lucas Oil Stadium too. Never received a response or acknowledgement. When I see people wearing an all-access badge pulling luggage inside the stadium and never being screened and/or checked for explosives, I become concerned. Put that’s a separate issue and I don’t want to drift off topic. 

So yeah I believe that all of DCI - Dan included have become complacent. Either lead or get the out of the way. DCI’s response to this abuse was like - oh we’re sorry we left the barn door open better close it now. Incompetent comes to mind.

[BigW]

5 hours ago, DCIat14 said:

My hope is that DCI recognizes that there are currently 150 members of the Cadets that worked hard and earned their spot in that corps

Yes, and paid several thousand dollars in tuition. One of the cornerstones of any solution to this will be to make sure they're treated fairly, whether it would mean refunds, an addition season of eligibility... whatever would be fair depending on what happens. I just don't see this getting that crazy, though.