DCI and SOA being sued?

[scheherazadesghost]

34 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

And it will be interesting (understatement) to read deposition/testimony of DCI BoD, ED, etc on what happened behind scenes in 2018.  Not to mention trying to explain why they didn’t put in place an effective system to prevent it EVER happening again. 

Especially given that the Safe Sport Act had already passed by then. 🤬

[Weaklefthand4ever]

1 hour ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

And it will be interesting (understatement) to read deposition/testimony of DCI BoD, ED, etc on what happened behind scenes in 2018.  Not to mention trying to explain why they didn’t put in place an effective system to prevent it EVER happening again. 

That will indeed be interesting. I feel we have to openly realize two things. And this is in NO WAY a pass on what has happened. The people that know me, know exactly where I stand on these issues. I'm just really practiced at being always calm.

1. The marching arts community has a long tradition of closing it's/their eyes, hurriedly scampering to put out the fire and then praying that nothing would ever come to light. And that's not unique to marching arts. After a while of dodging bullets, you feel invincible. And then the internet happened....

2. The bigger the problem, the more costly and difficult the solution (in time, money, and bandwidth.) To roll out a single curriculum to all the corps in DCI / WGI is cheap. Like...I do this for a living...I calculated the development time because I'm a dork. But to host it, report from it at will, update records, administer changes and then also figure out how to train and put compliance into action so it has some teeth.....that's expensive. I don't feel like DCI nor most corps could fathom the workloads involved. And because it's about member safety, it simply cannot happen soon enough.

Here's the thing about DCI (and the corps.) Once the problem is big enough, the rollout to fix it might have taken years. What happens during those years while you enact this change? How many reports arise? Change is hard. But communicating change is easy. If there is a plan, and I HAVE to think there is, communicate it. Just admit that there is a problem and tell us what you're doing. Just do the #### thing.

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

And it will be interesting (understatement) to read deposition/testimony of DCI BoD, ED, etc on what happened behind scenes in 2018.  Not to mention trying to explain why they didn’t put in place an effective system to prevent it EVER happening again. 

they'll try to say what they had was enough, cause SafeSport

[Jeff Ream]

38 minutes ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

That will indeed be interesting. I feel we have to openly realize two things. And this is in NO WAY a pass on what has happened. The people that know me, know exactly where I stand on these issues. I'm just really practiced at being always calm.

1. The marching arts community has a long tradition of closing it's/their eyes, hurriedly scampering to put out the fire and then praying that nothing would ever come to light. And that's not unique to marching arts. After a while of dodging bullets, you feel invincible. And then the internet happened....

2. The bigger the problem, the more costly and difficult the solution (in time, money, and bandwidth.) To roll out a single curriculum to all the corps in DCI / WGI is cheap. Like...I do this for a living...I calculated the development time because I'm a dork. But to host it, report from it at will, update records, administer changes and then also figure out how to train and put compliance into action so it has some teeth.....that's expensive. I don't feel like DCI nor most corps could fathom the workloads involved. And because it's about member safety, it simply cannot happen soon enough.

Here's the thing about DCI (and the corps.) Once the problem is big enough, the rollout to fix it might have taken years. What happens during those years while you enact this change? How many reports arise? Change is hard. But communicating change is easy. If there is a plan, and I HAVE to think there is, communicate it. Just admit that there is a problem and tell us what you're doing. Just do the #### thing.

i am hoping the new guy with his background can help lead them through this wilderness

[rpbobcat]

9 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

And it will be interesting (understatement) to read deposition/testimony of DCI BoD, ED, etc on what happened behind scenes in 2018.  Not to mention trying to explain why they didn’t put in place an effective system to prevent it EVER happening again. 

I do a lot of expert testimony.

I don't know how it works with entities like DCI or non-profits,  that is, whether the depositions  are a "public record".     

But , in my experience, based on civil cases I've been involved in , the depositions may never see the "light of day".

A lot of the time, after depositions are taken, one side or the other will decide, based on the deposition  testimony,  to "settle".

If that happens, both sides can agree to have the records sealed.

 

[IllianaLancerContra]

3 hours ago, rpbobcat said:

I do a lot of expert testimony.

I don't know how it works with entities like DCI or non-profits,  that is, whether the depositions  are a "public record".     

But , in my experience, based on civil cases I've been involved in , the depositions may never see the "light of day".

A lot of the time, after depositions are taken, one side or the other will decide, based on the deposition  testimony,  to "settle".

If that happens, both sides can agree to have the records sealed.

 

Agree.  

However, if I were plaintiff, I would make keeping records unsealed a condition of the settlement.  So air out the dirty laundry depositions, or it will all come out on the witness stand.  Your choice DCI. 
 

edit:   Unless we get member-abuse facts truly out in-the-open it will get swept under the rug yet again.   

Edited October 11, 2023 by IllianaLancerContra

[IllianaLancerContra]

8 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

they'll try to say what they had was enough, cause SafeSport

Current abuse prevention system is only as good as it’s weakest link. 
 

 

Edited October 11, 2023 by IllianaLancerContra

[Weaklefthand4ever]

49 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Current abuse prevention system is only as good as it’s weakest link. 
 

 

And only as good as the teeth that back up it's bark. A rule with no consequences is an annoyance, not a rule. Corps like their control and to clean their own house. DCI could govern but really only does (at least outwardly...and we have to admit that we may not know everything that happens behind the scenes,) when they absolutely have to. @Jeff Ream was spot on there. But that leaves a vacuum. A corps won't bite itself and DCI won't bite them. So where is the incentive to proactively handle issues before they become actual member safety impacting?

[JimF-LowBari]

30 minutes ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

And only as good as the teeth that back up it's bark. A rule with no consequences is an annoyance, not a rule. Corps like their control and to clean their own house. DCI could govern but really only does (at least outwardly...and we have to admit that we may not know everything that happens behind the scenes,) when they absolutely have to. @Jeff Ream was spot on there. But that leaves a vacuum. A corps won't bite itself and DCI won't bite them. So where is the incentive to proactively handle issues before they become actual member safety impacting?

Thinking of my govt training where initial person/people to report to were in the same agency as harasser. If nothing happened or victim felt uncomfortable dealing with their agency there was the option to call hotline which was an outside group.

So if a MM has issues dealing with their corps they contact DCI… and DCI is the corps. 🤦‍♂️ So go to outside group (SafeSport?) who DCI hired. (Still looking for my warm and fuzzy here)

Edited October 11, 2023 by JimF-LowBari

[IllianaLancerContra]

2 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Thinking of my govt training where initial person/people to report to were in the same agency as harasser. If nothing happened or victim felt uncomfortable dealing with their agency there was the option to call hotline which was an outside group.

So if a MM has issues dealing with their corps they contact DCI… and DCI is the corps. 🤦‍♂️ So go to outside group (SafeSport?) who DCI hired. (Still looking for my warm and fuzzy here)

SafeSport seems to be all bark & no bite.  
What is needed is something like an Inspector General who is adequately resourced and can inflict real pain on perpetrators and the organizations that enable them.