A Message from DCI CEO Dan Acheson

[phd-student-TTU]

14 hours ago, garfield said:

I still expect an apology for this speculative and unfounded, damaging statement. 

Fine. I’ll lower the charge to gross negligence. I’m sure discovery will show emails, etc., that he knew all along and didn’t do anything. If DCI can impose themselves when a corps can’t feed their MM’s, then they definitely should’ve when they heard rumors or direct info of sexual misconduct. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by phd-student-TTU

[phd-student-TTU]

On 11/2/2018 at 2:05 PM, cixelsyd said:

So if I hear some ninth-hand rumor about someone who rubs me the wrong way, such that I think it is possible (but I am nowhere near the ability to ever prove anything), I am obligated to report it?

With minors involved, absolutely. 

[JimF-LowBari]

On 11/2/2018 at 3:05 PM, cixelsyd said:

So if I hear some ninth-hand rumor about someone who rubs me the wrong way, such that I think it is possible (but I am nowhere near the ability to ever prove anything), I am obligated to report it?

Just make sure you tell the authorities that the info is ninth hand and you are not sure how accurate it is. It is the authorities job to investigate and see if there is anything to the info. Went thru same discussion during Sandusky. Also remember a cop saying if no one reported second hand info they would not be able to solve most of their cases.

Edited November 6, 2018 by JimF-LowBari

[Tim K]

2 hours ago, Liahona said:

I just read this...

"There were multiple instances of sexually inappropriate emails being sent through the YEA! email server, including from Hopkins."

Who ELSE was sending sexually inappropriate emails?

Two possible answers. One that should cause serious concern, one less do.

The more serious case: there were others at YEA involved in inappropriate conduct. YEA needs to do everything to make sure they are no longer involved.

What could possibly be the case: GH had anonymous email accounts which often happens when someone has something to hide. 

[Jeff Ream]

7 hours ago, garfield said:

Oh, come on, Jeff, don't play sissy with me. I've been around here a long time, too.  And it appears that you know full well how to do snark.  LOL.  Come on, lighten up, and don't play innocent either, your halo's crooked.  So, let's just slow down and address this, and I'll do my best to hold my snark in check.

First, to you and MusicManNJ, I apologize if it felt like I was "challenging" you in your territory, that wasn't my point.  And, BTW, I have connections among Cadets vets, directors, judges and family all along the East coast.  No, I'm not dialed in as you two must certainly be.  But who's dialed in was not my point - in fact, YOU, Jeff corroborated MusicManNJ's contention, and I said as much.  I don't care how much you guys think of yourselves, I'm not buying one person's anonymous opinion on a drum corps chat board as proof that there's measurable impact from the event.  If I didn't say it before, and in case that's another thing that has your panties tightened up (<-- EDIT: That's snark), THANK YOU, Jeff, for corroborating what he said and THANK YOU, MusicManNJ for bringing it to light.  As I said at the outset, your reputations are both known by me and is not in contention.

But, now that THAT'S out of the way, let's talk about the bigger issues of what Dan knew and what you think he should have done.  I have a couple of several questions, if you please.

First, the Larson and Atchinson issues; what's your point?  That Dan knew then because you were alerting and making "things known" in whatever medium was available to you? 

Question: did you know THEN as you know now that DCI is but a tool of the directors? 

Question: Did you take any of this info TO those directors, and, if yes, what was their response? 

Question: What were you expecting Dan to say to this knowledge now, last spring, or in 2012 when it was brought to light?  You knew he was powerless; what do you want him to say now, today, about those events?

And forgive me, but I'm finding it hard connecting these two issues you remind us of, and the current one, to something DAN ACHESON or his office should have done.  If everyone knew this darned "Open Secret", is Dan A just a fall guy?

If he's guilty, I'll be the first in line to strip him of his epaulettes. Until then, you darn right I'm going to defend him.  If he's innocent due to his true circumstances, and that's verifiable, the correct BUSINESS decision is to defend him until proven otherwise.

I'm first in line there, too.

 

 

 

Larson? Very easy. he and the Board were made aware of the fact he was working with Colt Cadets, and had been arrested for incidents with kids. Remember, Dan made the call aboutthe Pioneer guy last year, before the rules were in place, and Roman complied by firing him ( one of the few things Roman did right). Did Dan do that? No, the guy hung around...and apparently was seen with a Soundsport group. Soundsport has to adhere to DCi rules do they not? So you can say powerless, yet he had the EXACT SAME POWERS LAST YEAR WHEN THE PIONEER GUY WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT. Ergo, Dan COULD...and SHOULD...have done something in 2012.

Atchison? The guy frigging made USA Today. It was hardly a secret anywhere in the activity and had been mentioned here years ago before he landed at Cadets. And in the same calendar year Dan forced Roman to fire the Pioneer guy, he allowed YEA to keep Scott on staff all summer. 

 

So...while I agree Dan isn't the fall guy for every sin in the activity, as he more than likely had no hard proof, here's two very public issues that i know were brought to his attention that he did nothing about, yet he did something about the Pioneer guy....all while "powerless".

 

So you want snark, there's snark with facts and inaction on Dan's part while at the same time, he did force Roman to fire someone before the powers he now has went into effect.

 

This is why you'll see me often defend Dan, yet I know full well these two were well known and reported to the DCI HQ...and not a ###### thing happened.

 

Game, set, match. I'll await your apology

[Jeff Ream]

5 hours ago, Liahona said:

I just read this...

"There were multiple instances of sexually inappropriate emails being sent through the YEA! email server, including from Hopkins."

Who ELSE was sending sexually inappropriate emails?

maybe the office employees he was dating, dunno. the reports vagueness is...well, understandable, but leaves much to be pondered

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, Tim K said:

Two possible answers. One that should cause serious concern, one less do.

The more serious case: there were others at YEA involved in inappropriate conduct. YEA needs to do everything to make sure they are no longer involved.

What could possibly be the case: GH had anonymous email accounts which often happens when someone has something to hide. 

well the possible good news is, given the office turnover rate, there's a more than good chance those that sent the emails are long gone

[cixelsyd]

6 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

Larson? Very easy. he and the Board were made aware of the fact he was working with Colt Cadets, and had been arrested for incidents with kids. Remember, Dan made the call aboutthe Pioneer guy last year, before the rules were in place, and Roman complied by firing him ( one of the few things Roman did right). Did Dan do that? No, the guy hung around...and apparently was seen with a Soundsport group. Soundsport has to adhere to DCi rules do they not? So you can say powerless, yet he had the EXACT SAME POWERS LAST YEAR WHEN THE PIONEER GUY WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT. Ergo, Dan COULD...and SHOULD...have done something in 2012.

Atchison? The guy frigging made USA Today. It was hardly a secret anywhere in the activity and had been mentioned here years ago before he landed at Cadets. And in the same calendar year Dan forced Roman to fire the Pioneer guy, he allowed YEA to keep Scott on staff all summer. 

 

So...while I agree Dan isn't the fall guy for every sin in the activity, as he more than likely had no hard proof, here's two very public issues that i know were brought to his attention that he did nothing about, yet he did something about the Pioneer guy....all while "powerless".

 

So you want snark, there's snark with facts and inaction on Dan's part while at the same time, he did force Roman to fire someone before the powers he now has went into effect.

 

This is why you'll see me often defend Dan, yet I know full well these two were well known and reported to the DCI HQ...and not a ###### thing happened.

 

Game, set, match. I'll await your apology

You first.  Morgan Larson was never working with Colt Cadets in any capacity.

[JimF-LowBari]

Ok what “powers” does DA have now that he didn’t have before? All I saw reading the 2018 policy is that DCI specified in writing what was not acceptable and a central place to call in case of issues. I don’t remember anywhere that DCI or DA actually gained any new abilities to act. It’s spelled out better but that’s all I saw

Edited November 6, 2018 by JimF-LowBari

[cixelsyd]

7 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Ok what “powers” does DA have now that he didn’t have before?

As of 2018, he has new power by having a DCI Community Code of Conduct and Ethics Guidelines to enforce.  The guidelines are woefully vague (maybe intentionally so), but it appears that for now, the DCI executive director has wide latitude in determining what "punishment" fits the "crime" when a corps runs afoul of the guidelines.