Drum Corps International (“DCI”) has been under scrutiny for its lax hiring policies and procedures that it places on participating organizations across the United States.
A recent Philadelphia Inquirer article exposed that elite drum corps are a haven for instructors with sexual misconduct in their past. In fact, DCI did not require drum corps to perform background checks on their staff and volunteers until 2017. Common sense dictates background checks should be required on anyone working with children.
DCI is the governing body of 24 world-class drum corps and 22 open-class drum corps that travel across the country to compete in the DCI circuit over the course of three months. Thousands of students ages 14-22 practice countless hours and travel hundreds of miles to audition and be contracted into a performing corps for the competitive season.
Known Instructors With A History Of Sexual Misconduct
A list of people with sexual misconduct in their past, and yet were hired into DCI includes, but is not limited to:
- Mike Stevens (Seattle Cascades, Oregon Crusaders),
- Morgan Larson (CapitolAires, Midwest Connection, Kilties),
- George Wozniak (Bluecoats, Santa Clara Vanguard)
- George Hopkins (YEA! And the Cadets)
- Joel Moody (Teal Sound, Crossmen)
- Scott Atchison (Cadets)
- Mark Calima (DCI Judge)
- Timothy Weaver (Platinum Drum and Bugle Corps)
- Eric Thompson (Genesis)
If you or your child has been victimized by a staff member or volunteer while a member of a DCI drum corps, you should contact a civil attorney immediately to discuss you and/or your loved one’s legal rights.
