Jump to content

Madison Scouts now officially co-ed


Recommended Posts

12 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

I’m B.  

I’m all three. I think it was an inevitable (and strategically positive) move that will no doubt upset a lot of alums, and is not likely to fix many of their worst issues.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, ndkbass said:

No harm in asking.  Thanks for the question!

 

I left because of many factors, but all surrounded issues with staffing and the current administration.  Here are few:

(1) I came in with Roger Carter and loved him as a caption head.  When he was (quite obviously before the end of the 2009 tour) going to be fired, I was unsure if I would want to march under a new staff for my age-out.

(2) I am an Eagle Scout, and always enjoyed Scouting in various forms.  To me, marching with Madison (outside of being a childhood dream), was something that seemed a natural expansion of that activity.  In Scouting, the boys/membership run the Troop (with adult supervision of course; I was everything from a Patrol Leader to Senior Patrol Leader and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster during my tenure in my Troop).  During my time at Madison, this was increasingly less of a factor.  That was quite off-putting to me, especially in my third year.  I was quite frustrated with my inability to voice my concerns (such as we were not being fed appropriately) and actively lead any of the newer/younger members other than those I was directly responsible for in the bassline and battery.

(3) Having lived with folks at my undergraduate institution who marched multiple corps, and had marched Blue Devils in prior years, I was encouraged to look elsewhere and took stock of various opportunities to do so.  I almost left in 2009 (for spots at Bluecoats or Cadets), but stayed in Madison due to my loyalty to the organization and its larger ideals.  I always wanted to do four years and age-out there until the politics of the organization became too hostile (in my opinion).  One example would be that it was super obvious to myself and some others from 2007-2008 that 2009 was a repeat of 2007 (at least in talent and somewhat design).  Many other vets seemed to be "drinking the koolaid" instead of recognizing this, and were falsely setting up a goal of finals when I thought the more appropriate goal was initiating new members into what it meant/means to be a "man of Madison," and enjoying the time we had together to make sure they could "stand on our shoulders" in the following years of their eligibility.  When these ideals (I have multiple tattoos related to my drum corps experience, including the 1997 pirate king) seemed to be put to the wayside, I made a decision to go somewhere else where my talents would be respected, and I could enjoy my age-out without worrying about fiscal solvency and loyalty to the administration.

(4) I marched in plenty of other organizations (both junior corps before Madison and also Rhythm X), and having seen a variety of forms of organizational dysfunction, realized that I just wanted some stability at the end of my career, and Blue Devils seemed to offer that more than anything else.  Plus, all my friends who had marched there had positive experiences, and said that they were treated like adults rather than children (during my time at Madison we went from being allowed off the busses and to purchase goods at all rest stops/fuel stops to only being allowed off at specified bathroom stops and not being able to purchase goods).

 

Probably some others, but that's the basic idea of it.  Please let me know if you have any other questions.  You can always DM me, too.

Thank you for the thoughtful answer. 

So in your opinion was the problem the leadership and direction of the corps or the fact that the corps was all male???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Jake W. said:

We're agreeing with you. Now please apply the same logic to Scouts & Cavies.

The Cavaliers have never had a female member and then told her she could no longer be a part of the corps. Madison yes. Cavaliers no. 

To me, basically kicking a member out of a corps for not being the right sex (Phantom/Crossmen) is far worse then knowing an organization with an all male tradition of 70 years won’t let me audition.

 

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Galen said:

I'm sure that the alumni are all united in support of this change... 😒

Lol I’m sure . I’ve talked to two Madison Alumni today . Furious and not another dang dime were the first words out of their mouth . 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, GREENBLUE said:

The Cavaliers have never had a female member and then told her she could no longer be a part of the corps. Madison yes. Cavaliers no. 

To me, basically kicking a member out of a corps for not being the right sex (Phantom/Crossmen) is far worse then knowing an organization with an all male tradition of 70 years won’t let me audition.

 

Institutional discrimination is better than a one time discrimination? Victim much? Anyways, I'm done. Wish you good luck in life and hope you never have a daughter or granddaughter.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many people are still butt-hurt because the Cadets went Co-ed in 1969? Just wondering.....

 

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, cybersnyder said:

Wanna bet? The writing is on the wall.

What wall? The bathroom stall??? Please stop trying to act like you know something that’s not there. 

I can’t say it would never happen, because who knows what laws someday get passed by government and then they’re forced. 

But if you think it’s going to be voluntary and in the foreseeable future you are highly mistaken.

you think Madison Scouts alums have opinions, you ain’t seen nothing until you’ve messed with a Cavaliers FMM.

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, GREENBLUE said:

The Cavaliers have never had a female member and then told her she could no longer be a part of the corps. Madison yes. Cavaliers no. 

To me, basically kicking a member out of a corps for not being the right sex (Phantom/Crossmen) is far worse then knowing an organization with an all male tradition of 70 years won’t let me audition.

 

Sorry, I'm not letting you skirt by on one of the points you initially made:

"And your argument will work with me when I can take my young male student who really wanted to be a member of this years Crossmen guard or audition for Phantoms Guard many years"

You went on to talk about members then kicked out of Phantom's or Xmen's guards for an all-female year, but you initially said young men who can't audition for those guards in general on all-female years, not just men who were in before and then kicked out when the guard switched for a year. And I am saying that isn't right either; I agree with you. How do you see that that's no different than Cavies & Scouts not allowing women to audition?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, cybersnyder said:

Institutional discrimination is better than a one time discrimination? Victim much? Anyways, I'm done. Wish you good luck in life and hope you never have a daughter or granddaughter.

Over dramatic much???

hey all you Cavaliers and parents of Cavaliers out there “Hope you never have a daughter or kids or a wife because you don’t want the corps to go co-ed”. Unbelievable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, bullethead said:

How many people are still butt-hurt because the Cadets went Co-ed in 1969? Just wondering.....

 

probably some of the people posting in this thread :doh:

  • Like 4
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...