Staff merry-go-round

[xandandl]

30 minutes ago, George Dixon said:

Them developing and exporting talent is a good thing. Brass techs taking over a world class brass program is a testament to the high respect and quality teaching going in in Boston

Agreed. It was Gino who brought to Cadets Travis Larson whom Blue Stars have already announced as caption head under Jim Wunderlich; his work at Cadets brought them an Ott. For Travis to reunite with some past friends in search of the same speaks to the great hornlines growing all over DCI to match the great percussion programs. Now if only the same would happen on the visual front.

As a reminder, this is what Blue Stars already publicly announced on their web page. https://bluestars.org/staff-1/2020-travis-larson Who else?

Edited September 10, 2019 by xandandl

[Sutasaurus]

3 hours ago, MikeRapp said:

Drum corps is so far beyond the norm as far as diversity that you can’t even compare the average population to drum corps.

The best way to increase minority involvement in marching membership has nothing to do with the “woke score” of the corps leadership; its reducing the cost of entry for kids from minority households. Drum corps is expensive and getting moreso. 

Winner, winner chicken dinner.

Edited September 10, 2019 by Sutasaurus

[Algernon]

3 hours ago, Tommeee said:

Kids are FREE to choose whichever corps they want to audition for.  If they want to make their choices based on staff diversity, then that’s fine.  

Encouraging a diverse group of future designers and caption managers is a decent idea.  It’s when you start crossing the line into ENABLING and quotas, that I have a problem with. 

Show me some proof that women and minorities are currently being oppressed and held back in the ranks of corps leadership.

show me some proof they are not

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, xandandl said:

sounds interesting...particularly as Boston just announced the return of certain juniors, such as Mr. Lippmann.

of course, source would be important wouldn't it, Jeff?  

it was announced. Travis and Ryan, techs on Bostons staff, went to Blue Stars. go back a few pages and idfferent arguments

[Jeff Ream]

8 hours ago, George Dixon said:

A couple very good “juniors” 

well let's not blow smoke up Ryan's butt. Hes still an annoying 16 year old rookie at Westshore to me. 😂

Edited September 11, 2019 by Jeff Ream

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, xandandl said:

if couple means two, and add that to the already announced move of BAC's asst. director to being asst. director in Allentown '20, and another move I yet to hear officially, that means the lure of the clam chowdah isn't enough to keep the Cru crew together?  Backstories?

sure. techs got offered to be more than techs and took it

[FlamMan]

1 hour ago, Algernon said:

show me some proof they are not

That's not the way it works. Charges of oppression and discrimination need to be proved, not someone's innocence.

[MikeRapp]

2 hours ago, Algernon said:

show me some proof they are not

Just give it a rest. Walking around with a diversity clipboard to see who measures up to your scores is insulting to people who have devoted their lives to teaching these kids out to do drum Corps.

Edited September 10, 2019 by MikeRapp

[corps8294]

25 minutes ago, MikeRapp said:

Just give it a rest. Walking around with a diversity clipboard to see who measures up to your scores is insulting to people who have devoted their lives to teaching these kids out to do drum Corps.

[kdaddy]

5 hours ago, MikeRapp said:

Drum corps is so far beyond the norm as far as diversity that you can’t even compare the average population to drum corps.

Without hesitation, I disagree. In the student ranks, and definitely in the design and caption management ranks. I have not found drum corps to be as diverse as the US population. But I'm really only referring to design and caption managers.

 

5 hours ago, MikeRapp said:

The best way to increase minority involvement in marching membership has nothing to do with the “woke score” of the corps leadership; its reducing the cost of entry for kids from minority households. Drum corps is expensive and getting moreso. 

And without hesitation, I agree with you wholeheartedly here. Of course, I in no way talked about increasing minority involvement of marching membership, but you're free to tangent however you please. I'm referring to inspiring current marchers to be the next set of designers and caption managers by enabling them to see themselves in those positions. Diversity is for them to witness and experience and learn from, not for you or me to write about on a website. 

But ultimately, I really don't understand how you can disagree with my premise: drum corps should be more intentional about getting a diverse body of people in design and caption management. Your argument is "hire the right people, not losers," and I don't see how I'm suggesting to hire incompetence. Nobody (except maybe Getoffmydot) is suggesting quotas, though that's the typical anti-diversity argument. Designers should do their best to mentor a diverse group of designers. Corps should embrace and encourage it. 

Empathy isn't easy when one doesn't have the same common experience (and I'm guilty of this - I'm so white, I'm like the ghost of Tilda Swinton). A lot of folks on here don't understand what I'm saying, and that's okay - I really hope corps leaders do. 

And my apologies for doing my small part to keep this topic alive. There isn't much on the merry-go-round these days, but I don't see any need in closing this thread.

Edited September 11, 2019 by kdaddy