And the floodgates are opening

[PopcornEater1963]

It seems DCI should be consulting other parent organizations who have dealt with similar problems of adults working with youth in close quarters and benchmarking their best practices to manage. 
 

organizations like:

The Catholic Church
The Boy Scouts of America
The International Olympic Committee 
The US Women’s Gymnastics Team
The Penn State University Football team
The Ohio State Wrestling Team
The NCAA in general

to name a few. All have been faced with very similar problems. How did they handle it beyond “ just burn the whole thing down “? 

Edited January 15, 2022 by PopcornEater1963

[JimF-LowBari]

1 hour ago, PopcornEater1963 said:

It seems DCI should be consulting other parent organizations who have dealt with similar problems of adults working with youth in close quarters and benchmarking their best practices to manage. 
 

organizations like:

The Catholic Church
The Boy Scouts of America
The International Olympic Committee 
The US Women’s Gymnastics Team
The Penn State University Football team
The Ohio State Wrestling Team
The NCAA in general

to name a few. All have been faced with very similar problems. How did they handle it beyond “ just burn the whole thing down “? 

See the list and think “prison terms”.

Second thought is crapload of denial, sycophants and hiding what happened from the cases I’m familiar with. And didn’t do anything until public pressure got too great. Which sounds familiar with DCI.

DCI should look at these cases and realize what not to do.

Edited January 15, 2022 by JimF-LowBari

[Jeff Ream]

I saw this on social media: “ dci keeps better records on kids that owe money than on members and adults that don’t follow the rules”.

[Terri Schehr]

18 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

See the list and think “prison terms”.

Second thought is crapload of denial, sycophants and hiding what happened from the cases I’m familiar with. And didn’t do anything until public pressure got too great. Which sounds familiar with DCI.

DCI should look at these cases and realize what not to do.

A lot of people at the top got fired, too. 

[PopcornEater1963]

19 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

See the list and think “prison terms”.

Second thought is crapload of denial, sycophants and hiding what happened from the cases I’m familiar with. And didn’t do anything until public pressure got too great. Which sounds familiar with DCI.

DCI should look at these cases and realize what not to do.

So… looks like my tongue in cheek sarcasm was recognized. Yes…all of these organizations handled similar situations wretchedly. And yet…none of them “blew it all up”. I do not accept what happened at SOA appropriate. Not even close. There should be legal repercussions. 
 

But I’m a little perplexed that we don’t seem to understand that this is a phenomenon associated with placing youth directly under the charge of adult staff just like the rest of those organizations. And it seems like where progress truly took place with them was in the area of specific law enforcement of individuals breaking the law… not shutting down the overall  organization/activity. I’m trying to remember if Penn State football even missed a season on the field…and suggesting shutting down college football over what happened at Penn State is obviously a non-starter. 

 

 

[JimF-LowBari]

22 minutes ago, PopcornEater1963 said:

So… looks like my tongue in cheek sarcasm was recognized. Yes…all of these organizations handled similar situations wretchedly. And yet…none of them “blew it all up”. I do not accept what happened at SOA appropriate. Not even close. There should be legal repercussions. 
 

But I’m a little perplexed that we don’t seem to understand that this is a phenomenon associated with placing youth directly under the charge of adult staff just like the rest of those organizations. And it seems like where progress truly took place with them was in the area of specific law enforcement of individuals breaking the law… not shutting down the overall  organization/activity. I’m trying to remember if Penn State football even missed a season on the field…and suggesting shutting down college football over what happened at Penn State is obviously a non-starter. 

 

 

Actually I missed the sarcasm as have heard enough people talk around (ignore) the punishments. FYI I live 2 hours from Penn State so have heard more from both sides than I ever wanted to hear. 🤮

Think Penn State lost a year or two of going to a bowl game. As rebuilding with a new coach a bowl game was least of their concerns.

Also issue of youth being under direct control of adults should include youth being under direct control of other youth. Thinking section leaders and others with same type of responsibilities letting it go to their head and turn into junior dictators or bullies/abusers.

Edited January 16, 2022 by JimF-LowBari

[Slingerland]

DCI needs to establish minimum standards for all of the corps' whistleblower policies that would make sure that complaints of abuse or assault - verbal or physical - are seen by individuals at the Board level within each corps, so that a mid-level manager like in the SOA situation can't try and address the situation without others in the corps being aware of the complaint.

I haven't seen any information that anyone on Spirit's BOD knew what was happening when it was happening, which would indicate that they failed to have a policy robust enough to protect the organization. A corps that has received a complaint of a physical or psychological threat should be mandated to report it to DCI, and if a situation crosses into criminal conduct, to the authorities in the area in which the alleged attack took place. 

Lastly, marching members should be required to fill out the same sort of affidavit that some of the corps are requiring of staffs now, asking them to attest that they've never been accused or investigated for sexual or unethical behavior at a previous organization, and giving the corps they're applying to permission to ask and the directors of any previous organization permission to report. As long as member on member assault or hazing is going to be an issue (and it is and will), steps need to be taken to ensure that those with a history of being abusive are weeded out, or know that their behavior will follow them.

Simple changes that wouldn't require a membership vote from the DCI voting membership, as far as I can tell, and could be enacted by the DCI Board tomorrow.

Edited January 16, 2022 by Slingerland

[JimF-LowBari]

19 minutes ago, Slingerland said:

Lastly, marching members should be required to fill out the same sort of affidavit that some of the corps are requiring of staffs now, asking them to attest that they've never been accused or investigated for sexual or unethical behavior at a previous organization, and giving the corps they're applying to permission to ask and the directors of any previous organization permission to report. As long as member on member assault or hazing is going to be an issue (and it is and will), steps need to be taken to ensure that those with a history of being abusive are weeded out, or know that their behavior will follow 

Members also need to sign a statement saying that they have been informed that if they bully or harass in any way, their ### WILL be removed from the corps and reported to DCI (DCI needs that database). It’s a CYA for the corps that they have said what will not be allowed and reminder to members that there will be repercussions.

Edited January 16, 2022 by JimF-LowBari

[IllianaLancerContra]

DCI CEO, in post on dci.org has stated:

  "We want nothing less than their return to the field with a healthier organization and thriving environment for future success in the service to young adults,” said Dan Acheson, CEO of Drum Corps International. "We are committed to assisting them and all corps to ensure a safe, enriching and worthwhile experience for every participant, educator, administrator and volunteer in their charge."

OK Dan, what is DCI doing about recent (last week) member allegations in:

Raiders

Battalion

Blue Devils

and apparently concerning new SCV director (see below - this appears to have happened in 2018 when w/ Shadow (not mentioned by name, but said to be female & now director of a top-5 Corps, I believe SCV is only Corps with a female director, plus recently new at SCV)

 

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by IllianaLancerContra
further pontification & speling

[Weaklefthand4ever]

4 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

DCI CEO, in post on dci.org has stated:

  "We want nothing less than their return to the field with a healthier organization and thriving environment for future success in the service to young adults,” said Dan Acheson, CEO of Drum Corps International. "We are committed to assisting them and all corps to ensure a safe, enriching and worthwhile experience for every participant, educator, administrator and volunteer in their charge."

OK Dan, what is DCI doing about recent (last week) member allegations in:

Raiders

Battalion

Blue Devils

and apparently concerning new SCV director (see below - this appears to have happened in 2018 when w/ Shadow)?

 

 

Ughhhhh. What that assistant corps director said to that member was so f'ing narcissistic of anyone and especially someone in leadership. We need a name. 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Weaklefthand4ever
Clarification of my statement