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Sexual Assault: Spirit of Atlanta 2021


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26 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

I thought DCi had some mandated training for all staff after April 2018 exploded.

I'm sure they did. But here would be the real questions:

1. Who is tracking compliance?

2. At what levels within a corps is the training mandatory? ("Staff" is a rather nebulous and broad term after all and could only include paid positions)

3. What penalties are in place for NOT complying with mandatory training?

What realistically should happen IMHO is that EVERYONE involved with a corps (including MM's and volunteers,) should have to sit through training on mandatory reporting, whistle blower and harassment prevention. To say (as we heard in the recording) "It's in the handbook and you signed it even if you didn't read it" is BULLS$!#. 

A snare with no gut is just a flub....and who really takes flubs seriously? The mandates have to have accountability and penalties otherwise they are merely "suggestions." People don't fear speed limit signs. They fear the ticket they'll have to pay for not following their guidance. 

Edited by Weaklefthand4ever
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26 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

i dont have the pulse on every single thing DCI does. do i have a lot of info? Yup. First i heard of this was today like everyone else.

 

not sure what lit a fire under your ### to hound me, but target others, i got better things to do than defend myself against your attacks...which, like this fail.

Why? Because I question you I’m the bad guy? Live by the sword……. U know the rest.

Edited by Sutasaurus
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6 hours ago, BrassTeacher said:
On 1/8/2022 at 11:07 PM, LoveKathyG said:

While I acknowledge that I don't know enough about how drum corps operate on tour in the modern era, it strikes me that music educators are ill-equipped to manage issues of member conduct.

How dare you?!?!?!? How DARE you make such a sweeping generalization??

THIS music educator would like a retraction of this statement

I wouldn't expect music educators to be experts in student conduct.  It's a complex and challenging field of work that people devote entire careers to mastering.  Music educators shouldn't have to possess that level of expertise.  Let the music educators do music education and let the people who are expert in handling sexual assaults, harassment and misconduct take care of those cases.  

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2 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

and therein lies the problem. the inmates run the asylum. and 4 years after the Hopghazi explosion, it's quite clear many of the inmates haven't learned a #### thing. So really, is leaving it to them to police themselves really the best way to go?

 

 

I keep thinking “we should really punish a corps when something horrible happens. But… that would hurt the rest of us so… uhhhhhh… 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

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4 hours ago, ironlips said:

Leaving aside for the moment the "facts" of this incident whatever they may be, it's distressing to see how eager many are to blame or criticize "DCI", as if it were some independent monolithic entity with enforcement powers. This is simply not the case.

There is no "DCI", in that sense. All its policies emanate from the 12 individual member corps. Whatever they agree to is what holds. The staff of DCI, such as it is, works for them and serves at their pleasure. 

There is no "enforcement" or "judiciary" function here. If any individual or organization is to be censured, disqualified or punished in any way that will have to come from a collective decision by the board, the 12 members.

If there is any blame to be assigned here it must be directed towards the actual perpetrators and those to whom the accusations were first reported. It was the latter's duty to report to authorities.

We are all sensitized to these situations (more so lately) and they must be taken seriously, but misdirected anger is counter-productive.

With all due respect.. you are wrong. Have look at the DCI rulebook. Policy 321 allows for Dan to take unilateral action on his own. If Spirit does not clean up their act, he can in fact punish them severely. Pioneer was placed on probation and one of the stipulations of that probation was Roman Blenski having no decision making authority and for him to step down from the board. He refused, and Dan enacted policy 321 and for all intents and purposes gave Pioneer the death penalty. Unless I am wrong, in theory, Pioneer COULD in fact petition for reinstated DCI membership if they enacted the requirements of the probation set down by DCI. They just didn't.

 

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I just have a few random thoughts after reading this entire thread last night. I was under the impression that all corps are now required to have designated sexual harassment reporting personnel, written protocols, and anti harassment/bullying training either at a winter camp or very early in spring training.  I thought these standards were universal and adopted the year after the GH fiasco. 

Also, I don't think instructional staff have actually been riding on the member buses in years. They have staff buses. The newer coaches carry 55 passengers and I think that may be where the recent 165 member limit came from. (55×3=165) 

Finally, I believe most instructors these days are in fact public school teachers (particularly senior staff and caption heads) and they all get sexual harassment training whether their degrees are in music ed or something else.  I continue to be bewildered that these situations continue to happen.

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FWIW, the 2-year probation seems pretty weak to me, but isn't necessarily an awful idea. Knowing more details from investigations could change my mind on that.

Not making the investigations and probation public is a terrible idea and is not doing anything to indicate that there is "no higher [DCI] priority than protecting the safety, health and welfare" of current or potential members.

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If DCI staff and board members knew of this for some time – enough time for investigations and the 2-year probation arrangement – what's the deal with BD bringing on board a staff member involved in this?

That may be unfair. I don't know the details and timeline. Don't know how wide spread the knowledge of the staff member's involvement was. Perhaps he was given a post by someone at BD who truly was not knowledgable about the allegations and broader situation.

This kind of speculation (by me) is part of what makes much social media bad stuff. I just can't help myself from typing and submitting.

Plus, please BD: Don't be complicit in this mess.

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6 hours ago, ironlips said:

Leaving aside for the moment the "facts" of this incident whatever they may be, it's distressing to see how eager many are to blame or criticize "DCI", as if it were some independent monolithic entity with enforcement powers. This is simply not the case.

There is no "DCI", in that sense. All its policies emanate from the 12 individual member corps. Whatever they agree to is what holds. The staff of DCI, such as it is, works for them and serves at their pleasure. 

There is no "enforcement" or "judiciary" function here. If any individual or organization is to be censured, disqualified or punished in any way that will have to come from a collective decision by the board, the 12 members.

If there is any blame to be assigned here it must be directed towards the actual perpetrators and those to whom the accusations were first reported. It was the latter's duty to report to authorities.

We are all sensitized to these situations (more so lately) and they must be taken seriously, but misdirected anger is counter-productive.

You hit the nail on the head.

DCI is, as you said, an organization whose "policies emanate from the 12 individual member corps".

The corps don't seem to have any interest in changing the status quo.

Why should they ?

When it comes to Drum Corps, they're the "only game in town", and they know it.

DCI can't even put together a cooperative purchasing deal for non-perishables.

A perfect example of DCI's  ineffectiveness was last season's Covid Protocols.

The disclaimers in the document showed that all DCI was doing was making "policies".

Each corps was to deal/enforce them as they saw fit.

Unless / until corps are willing to give up power (fat chance) and form a true independent  Governing Body with investigative and enforcement power, as opposed to an event scheduler, nothing is going to change.

As I said,why should they ?

 

 

 

Edited by rpbobcat
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1 hour ago, craiga said:

I just have a few random thoughts after reading this entire thread last night. I was under the impression that all corps are now required to have designated sexual harassment reporting personnel, written protocols, and anti harassment/bullying training either at a winter camp or very early in spring training.  I thought these standards were universal and adopted the year after the GH fiasco. 

Worked for Uncle Sam and we had policy, procedures and annual training in both prevention of sexual harassment and sexual assault. All these things mean nothing if there are still idiots who do what they want and an employer who does nothing. Over the years my agency got more hard nosed in punishing (usually firing) of anyone who broke the rules. And they sure as Hades would NOT be able to find a job at another govt agency. Sadly I don’t see any changes in DCI or certain corps in handling abuse. All I see is lip service and nothing concrete. Example would be the accused harasser going to BD. If DCI was serious this person would never work in another DCI corps

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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