DeKalb halts marching band activities, launches full-scale investigation
- 12/15/11
- Categorized in: DeKalb News
The DeKalb County School System has suspended all marching band activities after hazing allegations at a Florida university have led the system to launch a full-scale investigation of its own.
School system spokesman Walter Woods said on Dec. 14 that Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson advised all principals and personnel to suspend marching band activities at DeKalb’s 21 high schools until further notice.
“It could take just 30 or 60 days, or longer, until we get to the bottom of it,” Woods said.
Woods said the recent death of Robert Champion, a Southwest DeKalb High School graduate attending Florida A&M University (FAMU) who died during an alleged hazing incident in November, led the system to send a note to principals and band directors to “be vigilant.” The letter also reminded officials of the system’s zero tolerance policy toward all harassment of any kind.
The situation at FAMU snowballed as allegations of another incident were brought to light. Bria Shante Hunter, a Southwest DeKalb graduate, said in a recent lawsuit that she suffered a beating which caused a cracked thigh bone a few weeks before Champion died. Hunter was allegedly beaten by three members of FAMU’s Marching 100; two of the accused are also graduates of DeKalb schools, according to reports. All three of the accused band members have been arrested in Tallahassee and charged with assault.
According to reports, Sean Hobson, 23, Aaron Golson, 19 and James Harris, 22, were charged with allegedly assaulting Hunter. Hobson is a graduate of Southwest DeKalb High School and Harris attended Druid Hills High School.
“We started talking to people in the district and received some complaints from parents and there’s at least one documented incident related to band at one of the high schools that happened over the summer,” Woods said.
Woods said those factors played a role in the superintendent’s decision. He emphasized the incident that occurred over the summer was “inappropriate behavior” and not hazing.
The only band event that isn’t being cancelled is the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in Stone Mountain, in which four DeKalb marching bands are participating. Although football season recently ended, Woods said it was just a coincidence the system has waited until now to suspend all band activities.
"Creator of “DRUMLine Live“ Don Roberts gives direction to cast"
http://middekalb-neighbor.live2.communityq.com/stories/marching-orders,166972
Don Roberts is now the instrumental coordinator for the DeKalb County School System and creator of the show “DRUMLine Live”.
Dallas Austin, producer of the 2002 movie “Drumline,” approached Roberts to consult for the film while researching bands in DeKalb County.
Roberts tweaked the concept for a theater setting and was picked up by Columbia Artists Management.
The 38-member cast of “DRUMLine Live” is currently working its way through a second U.S. tour and has completed two tours in Japan and Korea.
After working on the movie, Roberts said he knew he wanted to continue to bring the band experience to audiences.
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This is great for Mr. Roberts, and I hope it has proved to be artistically and financially rewarding for him. Really, congrats to him!
But as we've seen with Yvonne Butler, Ralph Simpson, Morcease Beasely, and the worst offender, Ram Ramsey, when someone is an administrator for the DeKalb Co. School System, with second and third jobs, it should in no way affect the forty hour work week we expect from them and pay them for. And DCSS administrators are supposed to work 12 months a year.
I hope that Mr. Roberts' responsibilities for Drumline Live in no way intereferes with his job duties as the instrumental coordinator for the school system. I hope that he does not spend one second during his work day, other than on his lunch, to do Drumline Live business, I hope he doesn't use a DCSS computer or DCSS phone to do so. Taxpayers pay him to be our system's instrumental coordinator. Period.
Marching Band participation has provided scholarship opportunities to many students that might not have the opportunity to go to school. They have been positive for DeKalb County. If there is evidence of hazing with our high school bands, let's hope the investigation uncovers it and the situation is promptly addressed.