Participating in a drum & bugle corps via Drum Corps International (DCI) is a wonderful experience. The activity is overwhelmingly positive for the vast majority of members. There are certain things, though, that are a serious concern.



There have been, and continue to be, instances of sexual misconduct by staff members with student performers. This can include sexual activities, solicitation of sexual activities, solicitation of sexual photos, etc. This problem is not unique to DCI, but in drum corps the adults and students spend a tremendous amount of time together and the opportunity for misconduct is large.



Furthermore, there are examples of instructors who have committed crimes which resulted in the forfeiture of teaching licenses. These individuals have been deemed unacceptable to teach in public schools, but that does not prohibit them from working with a drum and bugle corps.



Presently, it is up to the individual drum corps to police their staff. Staff members can be fired from one drum corps for misconduct and will have no restrictions on teaching another drum corps.



This petition is for DCI and its Board of Directors to create a set of standards for each corps to meet, to require each corps to submit a plan detailing how they protect their students, for all corps to maintain records of complaints of sexual harassment, misconduct, etc., to make these records available to DCI and other corps, and for DCI to exclude any unit from performing at DCI events that cannot demonstrate how their members are protected.



DCI is a great organization. The drum corps activity is a great activity. The behavior described above are the exception and not the norm. The signers of this petition do not want to see DCI have a scandal like the one experienced by USA Gymnastics in recent years. That is the motivation for this petition -- to see a great activity continue to prosper for years to come.