TBDBITL Director Fired

• WebFire

  Manhattan Buckeye;1642274 wrote:Well everyone I know that went there hated it. And the racial stuff is public knowledge. There is no way I'd send our kids there.

  
  
• HitsRus

  

  ... Except that his bosses knew about it long before Waters was director... An "implicit endorsement" to use your own words. That means he was scapegoated for what was the norm... Making this firing unjustified . This was a totally unnecessary action that besmirches the career of a good man, and costs the university a top talent. Worse, by bringing in outside agencies, Drake has thrown a lot of former as well as current employees and administrators under the bus, and created a firestorm. I seriously doubt that embarrassing the University is what Drake was hired to do. At some point, if they don't already, the Board of Trustees is going to feel the stiletto sticking in their back.
  
  .....and soooo unnecessary too, given the level of complaints. Highlighting the idiocy of " zero tolerance" actions, a much more thoughtful solution would have been to allow Waters to complete the job... Given him a time frame and specific instructions... And save the university the embarrassment and damage to its icons and institutions.
• vball10set

  http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2014/08/08/Waters-finds-support-after-losing-dream-job.html
• HitsRus

  

  ^^^pretty good summation.
• Tiernan

  Jesus...give it up Waters...file your suit, get the undisclosed settlement and then go away. But put an end to this non-issue once and for all.
• HitsRus

  

  ^^^^LOL
  
  A much simpler solution is for Drake to call Waters into his office, clear the air and let Waters know exactly what he expects, reinstate him, and tell him he will be working with the Office of Compliance and Integrity to bring the Band to standards. That way, no lawsuits need be filed.
• Tiernan

  Ain't gonna happen Band Dad.
• HitsRus

  

  Nope and nope, dope.
• HitsRus

  

  ...and now one of the few "witnesses" whose testimony was used to lynch Jonathan Waters, comes forth and states that her testimony was misconstrued and that Waters was not dismissive of sexual harrassment as the "investigation" alleges.
  
  http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11340758/allegations-ex-ohio-state-marching-band-director-absurd-witness-says
  
  
  In a letter sent to OSU President Michael Drake this weekend she states....
  

  "Mr. Waters cares deeply about the well-being of his students both mentally and physically, and the idea that he would be dismissive of sexual harassment is absurd," she wrote.
  The AP generally does not identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly.
  The woman said investigators omitted her positive experiences with Waters from their final report despite her going "to great lengths and detail about the many ways in which Mr. Waters personally helped me in tough situations."
  She said the investigation report also misconstrued her statements regarding a meeting with Waters at which he cursed. She said he did not curse directly at her, as the report stated.

• vball10set

  As I posted earlier, I have a hunch he'll be reinstated.
• HitsRus

  

  I hope you are right, but egos can get in the way. The guy never should have been fired in the first place.
• Tiernan

  If Drake reinstates this guy he loses even more credibility than he's already lost. To save face, no way he reinstates.
• wkfan

  So far I am completely unimpressed with Drake. Seems awfully aloof and not very public at all.
  
  Quite a change from Dr. Gee...and not a good one at all
• Tiernan

  Does he go by just "Drake" b/c he's black?
• HitsRus

  

  OSU president Michael Drake thumbed his nose at the opportunity to defuse the situation saying today that he stands by his decision to oust Jonathan Waters as band director.
  
  Drake said at the Columbus Metropolitan Club today,

  "We made the difficult decision that new leadership was required," Drake told a crowd attending a Columbus Metropolitan Club luncheon Downtown. "This was necessary to ensure a safe and positive environment for our students, and that means a safe and positive environment for all of our students."

  Although he failed to mentioned who if any was harmed.
  
  Drake, only on the job a few weeks, before the controversial firing, joked that not only did he not get a "Honeymoon period"...he didn't even make it out of the church. Obviously failing to realize/neglecting to note that he was the one who started the fight.
  A lot of the controversy centered on the report by the university's Office of Compliance and Integrity which wrote a one sided 'prosecutor's report noting the "sexualized culture" within the Band. The report was not intended to be an assessment of Jonathan Waters, and made no recommendation for his firing. That Waters was to be removed, ostensibly guilty by association, was the decision of Drake and 'other university leaders'.
  
  http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2014/08/osu_marching_band_alumni_prote.html
  http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/13/Ohio_State_President_Drake_talks_about_band.html
• HitsRus

  

  ...meanwhile, Waters' personnel records, a matter of public record, were released today, showing that Waters had receved an exemplary performance review by the head of the Music department, which included praising and documenting his leadership at addressing the bands 'culture' problems.http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/report-cops-recent-osu-band-rituals-24961540
• Pick6

  

  i thought he was coming back lulz
• Zoltan

  HelloAgain;1642377 wrote:None of this changes the fact he supported, as band director, an event where 18 year olds he was in charge of overseeing were being hazed in a sexual nature. As long as that is fact(he's admitted to it) then the decision to fire him was justified, regardless of subsequent behavior.

  Haven't seen it reported anywhere that midnight ramp was hazing? It was voluntary, and band members could wear what they were comfortable with. Maybe I missed something?
• HitsRus

  

  ^^^That was Vball. I said I hoped so.... but I also told you what I think of people who trot out the "zero tolerance" banner....something that Michael Drake trotted out AGAIN today.
• HelloAgain

  HitsRus still beating the drum for an issue no one cares about and doesn't effect him in the slightest lol
• Mohican00

  

  HelloAgain;1643938 wrote:HitsRus still beating the drum for an issue no one cares about and doesn't effect him in the slightest lol

  No shit. The thread that won't die because Hits has made it his personal Jon Waters fan club.
• HitsRus

  

  ...haha...and yet you care enough to post.
  
  I'm just here to document the injustice.
  This is real news that is not only reported on locally but nationally. It involves THE Ohio State University...the largest university in the state and the most successful college football program. It has hundreds of thousands of alumni. Jonathan Walters' half time shows have garnered 12 million hits plus on you tube. Next to the football team and basketball team, the band is the most visible face of the University. The new President of the University is embroiled in a controversy almost the minute he takes the helm.
  
  But Hello Again says, nobody cares, and Hello Again is an honorable man.
  ....and mohican wants the thread to die so it won't distract him from posting on his fluff threads.
• SportsAndLady

  

  HitsRus;1643968 wrote:...haha...and yet you care enough to post.
  
  I'm just here to document the injustice.
  This is real news that is not only reported on locally but nationally. It involves THE Ohio State University...the largest university in the state and the most successful college football program. It has hundreds of thousands of alumni. Jonathan Walters' half time shows have garnered 12 million hits plus on you tube. Next to the football team and basketball team, the band is the most visible face of the University. The new President of the University is embroiled in a controversy almost the minute he takes the helm.
  
  But Hello Again says, nobody cares, and Hello Again is an honorable man.
  ....and mohican wants the thread to die so it won't distract him from posting on his fluff threads.

  Just STFU. It's the band.
• HitsRus

  

  ^^^It's Ohio State....I won't.
• HelloAgain

  Do you think it's a coincidence that everyone is telling you how stupid you look in here?