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

[jjeffeory]

https://cavaliers.org/news-blog/cavaliers-focus-on-student-workplace-safety

 

Cavaliers have a workplace safety policy in place too.

[BRASSO]

18 minutes ago, N.E. Brigand said:

Now as then, I understand what you're saying and appreciate the thoughtfulness, but I disagree. As the Inquirer article notes:

"Saying that it was previously unaware of the allegations against Hopkins, DCI also said it would "conduct its own internal review to determine whether any current members of our staff were aware of these allegations and failed to report them." And now DCI has issued a statement. And other corps are individually issuing statements.

It's just not possible to completely isolate DCI from the member corps like that. Obviously DCI does not have the wherewithal to implement in every corps all the policies I wrote earlier that every organization must have:

"What organizations need to do is emphasize again and again and again that all such behavior will not be tolerated, and all members, staff, volunteers and board must be made fully aware of who to contact if they are the recipient of unwanted behavior (including some outside agency if the allegation concerns a board member), that all allegations will be thoroughly investigated, that the consequences for someone determined to have harassed an employee include termination, and that there will be no retaliation against someone for reporting bad behavior. And there should be annual harassment training."

But DCI can absolutely demand, as a requirement of participation (and yes, I know that DCI ultimately reports to the corps, so this has to be a collective decision), that every corps have such policies and provide some proof that they are maintaining such practices.

 They'll be some dark days immediately ahead, but I do believe that there could be an ultimate positive aftermath with this. There needs to be substantive change, with new procedures and policies put in place and clear and understood protocols so that these behaviours are lessened, and marchers feel safe and secure as much as humanely possible... and know that if these things occur that its not ok, and that they can come forth and immediately report such behaviors.. and that these behaviors will be delt with swiftly and efficiently. The Cadets can survive this. Other Corps can survive this.  DCI can survive this. But it all depends how serious  they all are to making this a safer environment for MM's and workers. 40 years of these behaviors, if true, is simply unacceptable. If  Drum Corps/ DCI don't make the changes  so neccessary, then they frankly deserve to crumble and disappear, as that will end these behaviors for certain. I'm optimistic that this will serve as a wake up call that not enough  is being done at the moment. We shall see.

[flugelswerebugels]

46 minutes ago, FlamMan said:

Oops. I didn't realize that there were 9 victims who spoke up about the allegations against GH. I initially missed that and thought that it was one accuser.

Good catch. I retract my previous snark.

[84BDsop]

2 hours ago, Jurassic Lancer said:

 Because it’s all about the broadcast, ya? How about,  how do the victims deal with this ... how about how do the  thousands of alums deal with this ... how about how does the corps comes together? 

You DO know that you can discuss one aspect of an issue without invalidating the rest, right?

[MisterA]

There are a lot of things here that aren't adding up. What happens if it turns out Hopkins is innocent here? It has happened before with false accusations. It is no secret tons of people in the drum corps world hate GH with a passion.  I myself haven't been so excited about some of his decisions. What if this goes through court, and it is found that someone just had a vendetta against GH and had a few people corroborate the story? Maybe that could be why the alleged victims didn't want to answer any questions during an investigation? And while YEA and Cadets probably should have put him on administrative leave immediately following the first report of any such allegations, maybe they have some reason to believe that the allegations are false? It also seems weird the statement that someone complained in January about GH and said if he wasn't fired they were going to the press with it. That seems more like a threat, than someone trying to get things done in a legal manner. So if they put him on leave or fired him, and it turned out to be false, he could have a lawsuit against the organization, which would also be bad.

I am not saying GH is innocent, or that the alleged victims are making things up, but I think to just presume he is guilty before hearing more details, or him having his day in court is wrong. It used to be people were innocent until proven guilty,  but now we make someone guilty, until they prove themselves innocent. Again not a fan of GH, and if it turns out to be true, hope he rots in H E double hockeysticks.

The main reason I bring this up is because of a situation that happened in a school district close to ours. There was a girl who was 16 or 17, and she developed a crush on a newly hired teacher to her district who was in his mid 20s, fresh out of college. When she flirted and made a pass at him and he refused, she made all kinds of trouble and claimed he had come on to her. He was placed on leave, and his life and teaching career were ruined. When all the details had emerged, it turns out she had made the whole thing up about him, hoping to get him fired, and luckily one of her friends had come forward with text messages from her saying that if he wouldn't return her love, she would make his life hell and get him fired. The district offered him his position back, but he left the teaching profession, which is sad because it sounds like he was an excellent and popular teacher, and motivated his students extremely well.

As a high school band instructor(and I am sure this resonates with choir instructors and drama instructors as well) you do get nervous about some situations. At our annual marching bands night, for the last performance of the year in October, all the seniors come forward and give a rose to their parents, and each one gives me and my wife a hug, sometimes in tears. I wouldn't want to refuse a hug at this time, but there is always a thought that maybe some parent will turn it into something more than it is. Sometimes even the parents give us hugs, which is probably the biggest reward possible. And the same thing happens at the end of the year at our final spring concert as we recognize our seniors last performance. The same thing happens with our choir instructors and drama coach during the year. The bottom line is as instructors(especially of performance arts) we set ourselves up more than anyone else for the possibility of accusations, especially instructors of activities where the kids tend to be a little more huggy/friendly.

As drum corps people on these message boards, let me ask you one question. Has there ever been any action you have participated in, that from the outside could look a little weird to someone who doesn't know that activity? Have you ever hugged someone after a show? Have you been seen as an adult with many people under the age of 18? Have you been in stands during a rehearsal watching 150 14-21 year old people prancing around in their underwear? To an outsider, some of these things could look like something they are not. How would you defend yourself if allegations were to be made about you? Most of us involved in the activity know how emotional we are, but to outsiders, some things may look a little sketchy.

I am not saying Hopkins is guilty or innocent, but I do notice that because so many people dislike/hate/despise him, that everyone is pretty much saying he is guilty without hearing very many actual facts of what may have or have not transpired. It isn't like this isn't the 3rd time a director has been pushed out of a corps in the last decade for unknown reasons that have been speculated on. But no matter what exactly  has happened it is definitely a sad day for drum corps. I feel bad for the alleged victims and hatred towards Hopkins if it turns out to be true. I also feel as bad for all members, staff and volunteers of the organization, as it has to be rough dealing with all the gossip and speculations around this, on top of trying to pull everything together for summer tour which is only about 2 months away now. And if by some chance the allegations turn out to be false to just get GH out of the Cadets/YEA, then I feel bad because the life of an innocent man may have been ruined.

Best of luck to Cadets of 2018, and know that we will be thinking about you and wishing you well this summer.

 

[84BDsop]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

more corps should do this:

 

Chops Drum & Bugle Corps

3 hrs · 

Chops has been, and always will be a safe space for all. In the coming months, all instructional staff and administrative staff will go through training to recognize the signs of abuse of any kind, and how to approach the subject with individuals. While there have been no reports of misconduct within the Chops organization, the allegations heard around the Drum Corps community today have lead us to ensure the safety and support of all members, staff, volunteers, and board members.

And from BD...

https://bluedevils.org/about/policies/youth-protection/

 

[N.E. Brigand]

Just now, MisterA said:

There are a lot of things here that aren't adding up. What happens if it turns out Hopkins is innocent here? It has happened before with false accusations. It is no secret tons of people in the drum corps world hate GH with a passion.  I myself haven't been so excited about some of his decisions. What if this goes through court, and it is found that someone just had a vendetta against GH and had a few people corroborate the story? Maybe that could be why the alleged victims didn't want to answer any questions during an investigation? And while YEA and Cadets probably should have put him on administrative leave immediately following the first report of any such allegations, maybe they have some reason to believe that the allegations are false? It also seems weird the statement that someone complained in January about GH and said if he wasn't fired they were going to the press with it. That seems more like a threat, than someone trying to get things done in a legal manner. So if they put him on leave or fired him, and it turned out to be false, he could have a lawsuit against the organization, which would also be bad.

I don't think you can read the Inquirer article and reasonably reach that conclusion. Do those victims really seem to you to be lying or to have collaborated? And to quote hostrauser from the third page of this discussion:

"Per the FBI, the national average rate of FALSE claims of sexual assault is 3% (this is in line with virtually all other crimes for false claims). There are nine accusers. To figure out the mathematical probability that all nine accusers are lying we simply calculate x (false chance) to the power of n (number of accusers): 0.03^9

The result: the odds that all nine claims are false is 1 in 50 TRILLION."

 

Why didn't the victims want to participate in a YEA-sponsored investigation? Probably because they feared that Hopkins controlled the board of directors, who engaged the law firm.

Why didn't YEA put Hopkins on administrative leave immediately? Probably for that same reason and/or because he had been so important to the organization for so long--as James Levine had been to the Metropolitan Opera--that they simply couldn't believe the allegations could be true.

Why would someone who had learned of the allegations demand that YEA remove Hopkins or face press inquiries? Probably because they wanted to spare YEA this kind of awful publicity but saw no recourse if the board didn't act other than to have someone truly independent of YEA, like the Inquirer, undertake an investigation.

[Rusty]

YEA's BOD needs to face the brutal reality of the situation in which they have placed their organization. 

Their own statement:

- confirms that they knew of these allegations at least since January; 

- confirms that they refused the victims' requirement to suspend Hopkins and have an independent firm conduct an investigation; 

- offers no apology to any of the victims; 

- and gives no indication, beyond a mealy-mouthed "we'll make this a safe environment for all" passage, of any intent to implement changes to prevent this in the future. 

Here's what happens next. Parents of current marching members will take one look at this statement and yank their kids from the organization, contracts be ######. Corporate sponsorships will vanish. That sweetheart deal you have with Yamaha? Kiss it goodbye. And what alumnus with a pulse is going to donate a penny to support an organization that runs itself in such a fashion?

In spectacularly short order, the corps may not have the numbers, much less the finances, to field a show in June. 

BOD, you have a choice. Step down for the good of the organization, or go down with the ship that you so cavalierly steered into the iceberg. 

[N.E. Brigand]

Remember, to accuse someone of behavior like this generally puts the accuser at risk of her (or his) personal life going under a microscope, too. That's a big part of why false accusations are much less common than true accusations.

[flugelswerebugels]

17 minutes ago, MisterA said:

I am not saying Hopkins is guilty or innocent, but I do notice that because so many people dislike/hate/despise him, that everyone is pretty much saying he is guilty without hearing very many actual facts of what may have or have not transpired.

 

Did you actually read the Inquirer article? If you don't accept that as fact you'll never accept anything as fact. Also, citing an instance where ONE individual made false accusations in comparison to this case where there are NINE CORROBORATED accusations is nonsense. Finally, he's not currently being found guilty of a crime - he's being found guilty of being a stinking albatross corpse around the neck of YEA and Cadets. Not jettisoning him would be suicidal.