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A year ago today


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A year ago today the story went public that caused the activity to get a very needed wake up call. Since then a lot of changes have happened, some good, some bad, some possibly not happening that should have.

 

this is not designed to discuss certain people that tend to bring out critics or defenders ( no need to mention names or legal proceedings). This is to be about how we think dci in general and the activity as a whole has improved, dropped balls or can improve. If you want to talk about those people I’ll hit report or have what could be a very productive discussion closed. 

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1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

A year ago today the story went public that caused the activity to get a very needed wake up call. Since then a lot of changes have happened, some good, some bad, some possibly not happening that should have.

 

this is not designed to discuss certain people that tend to bring out critics or defenders ( no need to mention names or legal proceedings). This is to be about how we think dci in general and the activity as a whole has improved, dropped balls or can improve. If you want to talk about those people I’ll hit report or have what could be a very productive discussion closed. 

Think DCI is moving in the right direction but hasn’t realized how much effort is involved to do it right. Also REALLY think DCI has deluded itself in thinking once the procedures are put into place then the work or setting things up is done. SH/SA is a moving target as society changes and any procedures need to change/evolve as society does the same.

Have gone thru the training every year since ca 1990 and what I get today is different from before in so many ways.

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I certainly think the "awareness level"... for lack of a better term... is higher now.

None of us can predict the future... but I hope from the low point which reached a boiling point, better days are ahead for DCI, and for any other marching-music organization...DCA, BOA, whoever. 

Hard to believe it's been only a year. Sometimes it feels like 10 years have elapsed.

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Certainly the awareness is far greater as Fran mentions, especially for the individual corps as now every corps site I visit has a full policy in place ( maybe they did before all this and I never noticed ). I'm still not 100% convinced that DCI "gets it" or least fully understands what their role is or should be. 

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To me, it seems like three steps forward, two steps back.

The three steps forward:

DCI and their corps have developed (and/or refined) policies on harassment and whistleblowing.  

Since actions speak louder than words... in several cases, DCI and/or individual corps have had to take action in accordance with such policies.  Claims have been investigated, some accused have been suspended pending investigation, some have been removed (or when appropriate, cleared) due to the findings of the investigation.

Probably in reaction to the above, others with possible blemished backgrounds have fled the activity like roaches scattering in the light.  Whether every last one is gone or not, the activity is inevitably safer.

The two steps back:

The cost of these improvements is high.  The down payment was the negative press that exploded starting one year ago.  We continue to pay in installments as sponsors, housing sites, and fans are lost due to that negativity.  And the fear of more such news, or an escalation in litigation over them, is the compound interest adding to our total cost.

Now we have DCI "ethics guidelines" that are catastrophically vague, leaving virtually everything to the judgment of whomever is implementing them.  For example, only three of the Hopkins allegations are actually prohibited by current DCI policy.  Background checks are a must, but when a background check finds something... oh, there is no required action for that.

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i just spoke to someone who teaches gymnastic, and of course we all know that story over the last year. the amount of ongoing training they go through pales in comparison to what DCI staff...meaning instructional staff and volunteers and admin...go through. it's probably a sign of things to come for DCI

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2 hours ago, Fran Haring said:

I certainly think the "awareness level"... for lack of a better term... is higher now.

None of us can predict the future... but I hope from the low point which reached a boiling point, better days are ahead for DCI, and for any other marching-music organization...DCA, BOA, whoever. 

Hard to believe it's been only a year. Sometimes it feels like 10 years have elapsed.

and having heard the rumors building for 4 months prior to the release only makes it seem longer

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I’ve been pleased so far with YEA’s response plus their tough decisions to shift toward building a stronger foundation for the future 

Edited by George Dixon
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32 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

 

....We continue to pay in installments as sponsors, housing sites, and fans are lost due to that negativity....

 

Housing problems and fan fluctuations were both major issues prior to this time last year. And while Zildjian has moved away from DCI corporate sponsorship they are still full force with individual DCI corps, which indicates a more targeted approach not a loss. So please quantify your statement and show how are these situations are directly due to the recent negativity.

Edited by Stu
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42 minutes ago, George Dixon said:

I’ve been pleased so far with YEA’s response plus their tough decisions to shift toward building a stronger foundation for the future 

this i will agree with. I do think people have unrealistic expectations that if someone is terminated due to issues that it isn't made instantly public. If no legal action is to be taken, not sure how you could release that information without violating a few privacy laws

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