A Message from DCI CEO Dan Acheson

[JimF-LowBari]

1 hour ago, MusicManNJ said:

And the same may be happening here. The press is speaking with more victims. When they are ready... the stories will be told.

And perhaps DA is learning this for the first time from the press. If true how was he supposed to know to act before?

[skevinp]

4 hours ago, garfield said:

When I search variations of "New Jersey school refuses drum corps" I get this current and very damning result:

http://www.leaderherald.com/news/local-news/2018/07/drum-corp-deemed-successful/

Nothing about any public mention of schools refusing to house or host drum corps.

Onyon is an unfortunate name for a journalist who wishes to be taken seriously.

[Tim K]

2 hours ago, MusicManNJ said:

It is a question of what did he or any of the DCI leadership know about any of the issues under investigation. Maybe DCI should launch an investigation. Maybe they can... maybe the can't. But they should. It worked for YEA.

First, Not to be picky, but I think it is important to use the best verb tense for YEA, working as opposed to work. We can’t use the past tense just yet. It takes years to change a culture, and if you read the excellent memo from the new director of YEA, you can see she’s working at changing things and sees it as a work in progress. What they have accomplished is amazing, but they know it’s not finished yet. 

Regarding investigations, I’m not always convinced of so called independent investigations and DCI could easily get off the hook given its bylaws. Maybe it would be helpful, but may not. Now if it turns out that the media uncovers evidence that DCI knowingly covered up abuse of minors or criminal activity, I would support a law enforcement investigation and let the chips fall. 

What is more important to me, and I think the good of the activity, is a this point forward approach. Here I think YEA/ Cadets C2 is a good case in point. The organization worked tirelessly to assure parents their young charges would be safe, and tried to provide the best experience possible for marching members. I want DCI and the corps to take steps to ensure that in 2029 I am not on DCP commenting on crimes committed in the 2019 season. I also hope a safer environment can be created so that kids who march today will want their kids to march. I live outside of Boston. I know many alums who still go to shows, love drum corps, and claim it was the best experience of their lives, but they wouldn’t allow their kids to march because of what they saw happening. 

[ShortAndFast]

Reading this thread, there are a lot of people who believe that Dan A bears responsibility. But I have not read any statement that, prior to 2018, DCI or Dan were informed about any of these incidents and failed to act. Is it out there and I've missed it? Or are people just assuming that Dan "had to have known" because there were 3rd or 4th hand rumors swirling around?

The closest I found was Stuart Rice claiming to have told Dan a rumor about GH in 2003. And I guess I'm sort of on Dan's side there - Rice did not have a victim or a first hand witness to misconduct, and he had amply proven himself an unreliable source with an axe to grind. I don't think I'd have found him credible either.

I'm not sold that Dan is the right CEO for DCI going forward. Times have changed, and there's much more appetite for DCI to play a governance and oversight role for the activity than there has ever been before. Maybe Dan's not the right guy to lead that effort. But I don't think it's right to accuse him of misconduct if there's no evidence for it.

[Jeff Ream]

10 hours ago, garfield said:

Will one of you memory-wizards shake your circuits and attempt to verify whether or not there was an actual case of a school refusing housing or hosting a show, or even participating with drum corps as fans (clinics, etc) that has ended, as a result of the Cadets/GH news in the spring, and/or as a result of any messaging from DCI that's occured since, please?

There are contentions thrown around that, I think, have nothing but repetition as their actual evidence. 

I'd appreciate being shown that I'm wrong and, specifically, so we can measure it and its impacts on the activity.

No "But it might..." here, please.  Just, so far, is there any evidence of direct, measurable result?

 

 

There were schools that refused in the Allentown region due to the news last spring

[Jeff Ream]

7 hours ago, wolfgang said:

Didn't either West Chester or Univ. of PA cancel a show in the Philly area last year when the Hopkins story broke?

University of PA yes, cancelled all previously scheduled YEA events.

the YEAstory was hotly discussed at a PA school administrators seminar. And schools did yank housing due to the news

 

[Jeff Ream]

7 hours ago, MusicManNJ said:

This was, in no way, an attempt to get out front. DCI (through Dan, his staff coms person, and the director board members) have hunkered down trying to keep information from coming public. This is complete CYA. Don't take my word... ask the reporters who have been covering this story since April. DCI is not protecting the members... they are protecting themselves. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. And this activity needs A LOT of sunshine right now.

DCI IS the members 

[Jeff Ream]

6 hours ago, garfield said:

And that was moved, not cancelled, correct?

So we're to believe without corroboration that "several" BoE have cancelled their association with housing corps or hosting shows?  Are these schools that had a prior relationship with DCI?  Is this list of schools now "closed" to drum corps made public or even presented to DCI?  Or is it simply "If DCI ever comes asking, the answer is No"?

 

Hi. I administrate for a local circuit in the area. I know when the housing crunch for Allentown became known I tried to help by reaching out to member schools in our circuit. I’m not naming names, but over a dozen schools said right now drum corps was too hot after the story broke. That’s where I learned about the seminar I mentioned above. In talking to counterpart ms for our circuit the same was true in NJ, MD and DE. The coverage locally was stifling and couldn’t be missed. The Hop story had a huge effect. In fact several NJ schools were told not to participate in USBands anymore 

[Jeff Ream]

6 hours ago, HockeyDad said:

Where did I mention the NCAA?  It wasn't the NCAA that brought the house down at Penn State.  It was the press.  Hmmm........

 

The ncaa drove the process behind the scenes. Live here you’d know more 

[Jeff Ream]

4 hours ago, MusicManNJ said:

It is a question of what did he or any of the DCI leadership know about any of the issues under investigation. Maybe DCI should launch an investigation. Maybe they can... maybe the can't. But they should. It worked for YEA.

Here’s the thing. Drum corps is full of rumors. Is it Dans job to chase every one down? As I have said many times before if presented a rumor, like when Rice contacted him about Hopkins, what was Dan to do? Call Hop and ask?

 

you all assume dans job entails scouring the web for rumors and checking in with the entire circuit all day every day. It’s not. So if no one came to him with CREDIBLE information, what exactly do you propose he should have done?