The parent organization of the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps has settled part of a lawsuit by its former CEO George Hopkins over his salary and benefits after he was fired in the wake. Currently semi retired, while creating Act 2 of life. With no 2020 drum corps season, Cadets Arts & Entertainment focused its attention on establishing clear policies, strict safeguards and strategic committees that meet regularly to help guide The Cadets forward. This is art. Not just for [the victim] but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, Anthony said. The negligence comes from a lot of places, Connell said. George Hopkins, longtime director of the Cadets drum corps, resigns after sexual misconduct allegations April 6, 2018, 7:20 AM The decorated director of The Cadets drum and bugle corps. Calhoun ended up pulling a hamstring, but wasnt sent to a clinic for treatment. George Hopkins, the former director of Allentown's famed Cadets drum corps, was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting two former employees, another striking turn in what had been an illustrious, four-decade-long career that took Hopkins to the top of the national youth activity. The Cadets has long been one of the top programs, attracting teens and young adults from around the world. to recruit potential members is a Cadet legend.
George Hopkins - Medium For members of the Casper-based Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, summer is hardly a vacation. The Troopers arent the only prestigious drum corps hit with allegations in recent years. Four months after the director of Allentown's famed Cadets drum corps, George Hopkins, resigned amid a sexual misconduct scandal, the spotlight has now turned on another, smaller corps Pioneer of Milwaukee.
A Failure to Protect - Inquirer.com Read more JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer The women are among roughly a dozen connected to the Cadets organization who say they were sexually assaulted by Hopkins dating back to the 1980s. You have permission to edit this article. Sean King was named as interim CEO for YEA! Now, she told Hopkins, who stood a few feet from her in the courtroom, she feels stronger than ever. As temperatures have plunged this winter, water use has risen. He watched as several other members suffered avoidable injuries from being overworked with little rest. But this isnt the military. [8] On April 11, the Board of Directors tendered its resignation and a new Board and officers immediately took over operations of the organization. The Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps lost sponsors, donors and engagements because of sexual misconduct allegations against its then-director George Hopkins.
With director gone, Troopers now face deep-seated culture of negligence The group keeps up a grueling practice and travel schedule, performing throughout the United States. 1 / Adagio for Strings / Medea's Dance of Vengeance, The Promise of Living (from The Tender Land) / Lincoln Portrait / Music for the Theater, Mvts. Wyoming teachers are leaving. Hopkins attended Wednesdays proceeding but did not address the court. To honor their 75th anniversary, the corps was called the Holy Name Cadets for the 2009 season.
The truth about George Hopkins : r/drumcorps - reddit Cadets official statement. George Hopkins has resigned. This has directed more than enough negative attention to the Cadets when in reality, it should be pointed at George Hopkins himself. Youth Education in. In both cases, the women say after meeting with Hopkins on business, they were drugged and sexually assaulted. An order filed Tuesday in federal court says Hopkins and YEA have reached an agreement. On April 5, 2018, allegations were made in published reports that the longstanding corps director, George Hopkins, sexually harassed or abused multiple members of the corps and staff over a period of years. moved its base of operations to Allentown, Pennsylvania and The Cadets relocated along with it.
The DCI.org interview: George Hopkins Two former Youth Education in the Arts employees accused George Hopkins of sexual assault. YEA rejects ex-director's resignation, fires him amid allegations, New twists appear in relation to former Cadets Director George Hopkins, Investigation underway into YEA! for more than $650,000 in severance and back pay, the organization filed a counter-suit against the former director for $1.5 million in losses which it alleges to have lost due to the sexual misconduct scandal. Hopkins had been suing YEA for $650,000 in severance, vacation and expenses. Abusers like Hopkins benefit from a culture of exclusivity and competition thats common in drum corps. Hopkins is facing two sexual assault charges after nearly a dozen women came forward with allegations in 2018. The Cadets began operating independently of YEA! Stuart Evan Rice said in an interview this week that he told Dan Acheson . I believe you, Calhoun said, I am worthless. But even after he was let go, Connell said he was still allowed around corps members who knew what had happened and had reported him to the administration because he was the organizations connection to the housing site where they were staying. Many of the women who spoke to Philly.com said they felt empowered to come forward by the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct that has toppled powerful men in news and entertainment. Its credits include the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, President Barack Obama's first inaugural parade, a reality TV show and "Late Night with David Letterman.". In my opinion, its impossible to march drum corps and not be broken in some way when you come out, because its a very rigorous physical and mental activity, said Calhoun, a former baritone. The Casper Troopers perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening. The Alliance members felt that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the monies those shows earned. and USBands affects the lives of tens of thousands of students each year and I feel humbled to have played a small part in that. George Hopkins has been charged in Lehigh County with two counts of sexual assault. The YEA! They sleep on hard gym floors, take water breaks on the run and get an average of one day off per month. YEA! (YEA), the umbrella group that operates the Cadets and also serves 60,000 marching band . They became the 507 Hornets -- I marched there from 1971-1974. The Cadets won additional DCI championships in 2005 and 2011, the corps' ninth and tenth in forty seasons.[3]. After their third Finals appearance in 1980, the Cadets quickly regained the corps' former championship form. I cried a little bit," she recalled. [2][3][4], In 1972, the Garfield Cadets, along with the nine other corps from the Alliance and the Midwest Combine, plus the Anaheim Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels, and De La Salle Oaklands were founding members of Drum Corps International, which remains as the sanctioning body for junior corps in North America. You need complete concentration on everything you do because if you dont, you could get someone else hurt or you can hurt yourself, Calhoun said. And I never said no.
Former Allentown Cadets band leader pleads no contest to indecent The corps was known not only for its talent but for its traveling to compete. [10] The organization also hired a Chicago labor and employment law firm, Franczek Radelet, to investigate the accusations against Hopkins as well as YEA!s policies and procedures for providing a safe environment for youth members, employees, and volunteers. But I never said yes," said Linda Riley. There is an interview with Beyer that is readily available to the public that will allow the Bergstrom to build his defense, Berry argued. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. She said that one evening in 2008, Hopkins asked her to come to his Allentown apartment to do some work. "For 86 years, The Cadets have been leaders and innovators in performing arts education," Bonfiglio said. With director gone, Troopers now face deep-seated culture of negligence. George Hopkins 247 Followers Life long member, teacher, and administrator of Drum Corps (from 1968-2019). Falk said the women were in agreement with the plea deal. Midway through the 1959 season, the parish allowed the corps to once more wear the uniform that remains their trademark. that title. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. The 36-year-old woman addressed Anthony and spoke about years of fear, shame and depression as a result of the crime, which she did not immediately report. has taken furt, Two former Youth Education in the Arts employees accused George Hopkins of sexual assault. Chief Deputy District Attorney Matthew Falk said the woman in the 2008 allegation decided that not pursuing these charges are in her best interest, and we support her in that.. In February 2023, CAE announced a long-term partnership with the Erie Sports Center, resulting in a decision to move The Cadets and all operations of CAE to Erie, Pa. On Friday, October 6, 2017, 10:08 PM, XXXX XXXX XXXX@XXXX.com wrote: This letter is to inform you of my resignation as Director of USBands, effective immediately. Nine women from Allentowns elite Cadets drum corps accuse director George Hopkins of sexual abuse and harassment, he sued the organization for more than $580,000. Former Cadets described him as a charismatic leader, while former office workers said he was a volatile, often verbally abusive boss. Hopkins, 61, has not been charged and denies criminal wrongdoing. [9] Claiming to have received no letter of resignation, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. It comes from a lot of different places.. Falk said the victims were in agreement with the plea negotiation. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps who was accused of sexual misconduct by nearly a dozen women, pleaded no contest to indecent assault and was.
He followed that with eight additional DCI World Championships, most 253 votes, 88 comments. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? A statement issued late Thursday night by the YEA board of directors, the organization that operates The Cadets, an elite drum and bugle corps, said CEO George Hopkins denies the allegations but . She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. money, and members. By Staff. One former Youth Education in the Arts employee who spoke to Philly.com on condition that she was identified only by her first name, Marie, said Hopkins routinely harassed and assaulted her at work.
Ex-director of Allentown drum corps enters plea in - lehighvalleylive Allentown's Cadets drum and bugle corps forming non-profit, separating from YEA! The whistleblowers say they went public after receiving a feeble response from the Troopers legal team. Genesis from Austin, Texas performs during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening, July 12, 2019. Chapter 5 Staff changes and letters to the board of directors . Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. Former drum corps director awaiting trial in sex assault case sues for severance, Former drums corps director pleads no-contest to 2010 indecent assault, Closure of YEA is final chapter in series of struggles over the years, Fire broke out in a Lower Macungie apartment building, Champions of Magic's Alex McAleer gives an exciting look at the upcoming live show, Pet of the Month: Nina from Ruff Life Rescue, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor needs volunteers, Allentown Public Library celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday with children's activities, Kindness Project teams up with Flavor Nation to give away free tacos, History's Headlines: The Lehigh Valley's music man, Berks County Parks invites people to their Winter Wellness Walk, Royals host "kids takeover" game where kids get a taste of the sports business, Wilson School students raise $83k to fight childhood cancer, Berks County Intermediate Unit receives $3.18 million in grants for Head Start programs, 'First in the nation' bill to provide free screenings for breast cancer to receive full Pa. Senate vote, Reading Area Water Authority looking for leak on North Heidelberg Township line, Former Penn State Berks soccer player among dead in violent Monroe County crash, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs, 6 Nigerian states drop suit to void presidential vote result, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills, What the Tech?
George Hopkins Bio Shortly after, more victims came forward, and the accounts of two of these women became the basis of the criminal charges brought in November 2018. George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. 2; Steve Vickers, ed. Bergstrom said the Inquirer interviewed Jessica Beyer in April 2018 and publicly aired the four to five-minute video. The Cadets have won these caption awards:[25], John Brazale Best Visual Performance Award, George Zingali Best Color Guard Performance Award, Fred Sanford Best Percussion Performance Award. Hopkins did not testify Thursday. Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, the Cadets won these captions: A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. Never thought for once you were a liar!!
The Cadets - Hopkins needs Help From George Hopkins A | Facebook In 1969, the corps became coed. These sort of militaristic rituals, paired with constant reminders about how grateful members should be for their spot on the corps, foster a culture of negligence that came to light last month when several former members went public with allegations, leading to the resignation of former corps director Kristy Jackson. The women who accused Hopkins of harassment ranged in age from 16 to 37 at the time of the alleged incidents, which dated to 1980. Renowned drum corps leader resigns amid abuse allegations. [15], In response to Hopkins suing YEA! Success! They wanted to shed a light on his behavior and for him to have a criminal record, he said. George Hopkins 260 Followers Life long member, teacher, and administrator of Drum Corps (from 1968-2019). "There were some tears. She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. During his tenure, Hopkins took the Cadets to 10 world championships and was an icon in the drum corps community. won with field programs that were, and still are, viewed as ground-breaking. The woman told police that when she stood up to leave the bar, she felt like she was moving in Jell-O.. The Troopers and other corps under the Drum Corps International umbrella are now left to reckon with the allegations brought against them on a deeper level, beyond personnel. For the 1971 season, the corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package. In 2022, The Cadets entered into a partnership with the Erie Sports Center as the new spring training site for the corps' May-June rehearsals. ACLU says it could take legal action over Saucon Valley School District rescinding approval for After School Satan Club, Big rig crashes from I-81 bridge onto street below in Schuylkill, 'He was a very humble guy': Reading High soccer coach remembers player killed in Route 33 crash, Eat, Sip, Shop: Refresh your ride at new Lehigh County store, selling high-quality car detailing products, Defense says accused former drums corps director weighing plea deal. This is the resignation letter from the director of USBands (a YEA program that helps fund The Cadets) and reveals some interesting information. George Hopkins, former director of Allentown's elite Cadets drum and bugle corps, pleaded no contest to indecent assault after an Inquirer investigation revealed years of misconduct. In addition to The Cadets, YEA! I want the victims to know that what you did was horrible beyond description, the judge said, READ MORE: Report: Drum corps leader threw things at work, called women little girls. The judge opined that this situation is very different than, say, a defendants statement to police, a full copy of which would be made available to the defense by the prosecution. The Govenaires, an all-age/senior corps founded in 1927, retain the title of oldest continuously active corps. This time, people considered dramatic steps to change the face of the Cadets and for all time, to shift the trajectory of the most honored drum and bugle corps in history. ; Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:00, United States Scholastic Band Association, "corpsreps.com The Drum Corps Repertoire Database", "Determination: Believing in the Midwest Combine", "Bang the Drum Slowly: A Championship Drum and Bugle Corps Leaves the State", "The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps: A history of alleged sexual abuse", "Statement from the Board of Directors of Youth Education in the Arts", "YEA! Drum Corps International, the sanctioning body for competition youth drum corps events, said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned" by the allegations against Hopkins. Youth in Education in the Arts has issued a second statement on Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins' resignation that came after a Philadelphia Inquirer article on sexual allegations. There was a problem saving your notification. In the criminal case, prosecutors allege Hopkins, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, sexually assaulted a former employee at his Allentown apartment after they met at a bar to discuss drum corps rules. and only for this show no black uniform. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. But, as Connell says, the problem is much deeper than a couple of creeps. Read more Kyle Monroe by Tricia L. Nadolny It wasnt rape, and it wasnt sexual assault, Bergstrom said. You have permission to edit this article. But instead, he encountered a disorganized administrative team that seemed to be improvising on the job. The decision to leave wasnt easy, especially since the messaging within the organization encourages members to deal with the hardships or be seen as weak. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Tips to help protect your smartphone from thieves, Outlast Forces Lone Wolf Contestants to Embrace Team Dynamics for Netflix Competition, Diego Luna: Andor Ending With Season 2 Is Really Important for My Mental Health. "Dear George Hopkins, This letter is to inform you of my resignation as Director of USBands, effective immediately. A tuba player lost feeling in their right hand, he said, and wasnt treated until the next day. George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. "We are now opening a new chapter in the storied history of The Cadets by creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity guided by the following founding principles: To educate youth from around the globe on the value of teamwork, inclusiveness, kindness, self-expression, and open communication; To create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants; and To enrich lives by teaching critical development skills required for the pursuit of personal excellence.". All Rights Reserved.
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