George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. [2][3], In 1958, the Holy Name parish declined to support the corps' travel and disbanded the corps. Also in 1971, the Garfield Cadets, along with the 27th Lancers, Boston Crusaders, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, and Blue Rock, formed the United Organization of Junior Corps (also known as the "Alliance"). But no one is irreplaceable. 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. An order filed Tuesday in federal court says Hopkins and YEA have reached an agreement. For members of the Casper-based Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, summer is hardly a vacation. [9] Claiming to have received no letter of resignation, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. He resigned from his post in early April amid sexual assault allegations, but the YEA board said it was firing Hopkins. At one point, a staff member called members of his section worthless to their faces, because they couldnt march without passing out from untended injuries. After their third Finals appearance in 1980, the Cadets quickly regained the corps' former championship form. It took a summer without performances, said Connell, for people to step back and realize that what they thought was tough love was actually systemic negligence. This is our director.". "I just kept saying no, don't do this, I don't want to do this," said Marie, who said she went by her middle name at work. The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps - Wikipedia Ryan Macpherson, who hails from Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota, will start his work as dean of the college on Aug. 1. The woman addressed Anthony in court, telling him of years of fear, shame, and depression as a result of the crime, which she did not immediately report. Thank you again for the opportunity and best of luck. 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. There are so many other things that Ive witnessed as a marching member, but theyre not my stories to tell, Connell said. At the first DCI World Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin, the Cadets just missed making Finals and finished in thirteenth place in a competition that featured thirty-nine corps from the East, the South, the West Coast, the Midwest and Great Plains, and Canada. Jackie Fritsche You beat me to it. After roughly a month of trying to leave, Calhoun said he finally did it in July, cutting his touring season short. Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. But if that is the consensus of the alumni maybe WE should ensure that there will be a future for the CADET organization! The corps felt that not only were they having their creative potential as artistic performing groups stifled, but they were being financially starved. During his tenure, Hopkins took the Cadets to 10 world championships and was an icon in the drum corps community. She said he showed up at her apartment one morning, begged her for sex, then pushed her on the bed and raped her. I expect my final paycheck on October 18 which should include the agreed upon amount for moving expenses that has not been paid since starting in February 2017. The judge set a Dec. 17 hearing on the defenses motion to dismiss the charges. Hopkins, 63, was accused of sexual assault and harassment by nine women in a 2018 Inquirer article. Please subscribe to keep reading. Follow More from Medium Mark. Watch this report from Action News at 4:30pm on April 6, 2018. Its a very difficult question, Anthony said. 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. The Cadets began operating independently of YEA! He resigned his position in April 2018, but the YEA board rejected his resignation and fired him, citing the sexual misconduct allegations lodged against him. He joined the staff of the Cadets in 1979 as percussion instructor and arranger, moving up to become Assistant Director under Dr. Santo . Hopkins needs Help From George Hopkins . {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Crews contend with tons of snow as they work to reopen I-80, Powell sisters die in crash with semi-truck, Long shifts, odd calls, brutal weather: inside the Wyoming Highway Patrol staffing shortage, Ex-Casper doctor imprisoned for sexually assaulting patients released years early, Lovell steps up after local sportswriter dies from car crash injuries. to take in order for its drum corps to participate in the upcoming 2018 DCI Summer Tour. There is an interview with Beyer that is readily available to the public that will allow the Bergstrom to build his defense, Berry argued. 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. Cadets are in troubleGH loves it that way.He wants there to be no Cadets if something happens to him.Cadets are in trouble for the FUTURE!!! "[12] As a part of the terms of probation, the corps' reassessed their planned travel to the West Coast to open the season, and instead decided to proceed with a schedule redrawn for East Coast shows. But this isnt the military. George Hopkins - Founder - 11 Rings | LinkedIn GEORGE HOPKINS 1983 - present George Hopkins, better known as "Hop" to his friends and marching Cadets, is the current Director of our corps, as well as the longest serving (25 years and still going strong). She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. George Hopkins. Brisk with west to northwest winds around 10-20mph gusting to 30mph.. Mostly cloudy with less wind and a few breaks in the clouds overnight. George Hopkins Resigns As Director Of Cadets Following Sexual Assault Cadets Drum Corps Sep 1982 - Apr 2018 35 years 8 months . The Troopers initially denied wrongdoing, but later issued a statement apologizing for its defensive posture after facing a social media backlash. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets and CEO of Youth Education in the Arts who separated from the organization after being accused of sexually harassing nine women, is suing YEA for more than $580,000 in severance pay. creates new code of conduct after sexual harassment allegations, Fired! Hopkins had been suing YEA for $650,000 in severance, vacation and expenses. The Scouts, however, have not competed on the field since 2015, making The Cadets the oldest continuously active junior corps. I dont know a single person who marched drum corps and didnt have complaints.. You can cancel at any time. In both cases, the women say after meeting with Hopkins on business, they were drugged and sexually assaulted. Calhoun said, careful not to sound arrogant, that he was a solid corps member. Hopkins, 63, was accused of sexual assault and harassment by numerous women in a 2018 Philadelphia Inquirer article, and was criminally charged in connection with two alleged incidents later that year. Lillian Petrullo-Yocovelli GH doesnt love the CADET Organisation he made himself an empire..to support him with his RV and 200K salary plus all the other extras.Laughing at everyone all the way to the bank.. Laura Masker I am not disagreeing with you as far as GH is concerned. In his federal lawsuit seeking severance pay and other monies, Hopkins asserts that he resigned from the organization by letter on April 5, and that his departure was "mutually agreed"-upon. The CAE Board of Directors approved this decision on Monday evening, February 13, 2023. The dozen women who accused Hopkins of harassment ranged in age from 16 to 37 at the time of the alleged incidents, which dated to 1980. In 1971, the Cadets marched a show they called, "No More War"; at VFW Nationals in Dallas. In 198385, the Garfield Cadets became the first DCI corps to earn a three-peatthree consecutive DCI titles. You have permission to edit this article. But instead, he encountered a disorganized administrative team that seemed to be improvising on the job. [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. I think from here on out, theres a new level and a new sense of accountability that we as alumni of the Corps are unified in making sure that these experiences dont happen again, said former Troopers color guard member Vanessa Connell. A Failure to Protect - Inquirer.com Taught numerous bands. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. YEA! 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. Marching as the Cadets of Garfield; wearing uniforms of white shorts, red golf shirts, and "Aussie" hats; and using instruments borrowed from the Chicago Cavaliers, the corps managed to finish in second place (one spot ahead of the defending champion Cavaliers). Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Casper Star-Tribune. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Awaiting trial for sex assault, former Allentown bugle corps director She said Hopkins words on social media after the allegations became public in 2018 were a constant source of anxiety. By Staff. At 192 beats per minute.. The corps quickly became one of the top competitive corps in the country. says every person associated with its drum corps programs must sign a code of conduct, , There's another twist in the ongoing investigation over sexual assault allegations targeting, Documents obtained by 69 News appear to show former Youth Education in the Arts CEO and Alle, The investigation into sexual misconduct allegations at the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle , The organization that oversees Allentown's famed Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts and Entertainment Inc. Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins has settled a civil claim with the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts, regarding compensation. Folks were upset, nothing new, but this time, the anger took a more aggressive approach. Not just for [the victim], but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, the judge said. Fine time to ask me now. All Rights Reserved. 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. All that was claimed to have happened didnt happen. The charge to which Hopkins pleaded no contest stemmed from one victim who said she was sexually assaulted in 2010 at age 26, and who provided her account to The Inquirer in 2018. An online community dedicated to the marching arts, with a focus on drum corps. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. He followed that with eight additional DCI World Championships, most This is the performing arts, you dont need to be like this.. 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 the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. 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. You have permission to edit this article. The only ones that thought it was the kiss ass GH puppets/groupies/cult members. The group said it was taking steps to address the issues raised by past members, and has subsequently hired a new interim director. Hopkins is facing two sexual assault charges after nearly a dozen women came forward with allegations in 2018. Currently semi retired, while creating Act 2 of life. Some people may be able to give 12 hours a day to the cause, and that is great for them and you, but my life is outside of YEA! Youth Education in the Arts governs the Allentown Cadets drum corps. The story of George's van trip to Mississippi and Louisiana Allentown Cadets hit hard financially by sexual misconduct scandal If you forget to do a step-off, someones going to collide into you with a 20-pound tuba. As a member of MAASINs whistleblowing committee, Calhoun helped compile six reports and publicized them in January. Currently semi retired, while creating Act 2 of life. On the social media site Medium.com former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins writes: , Sexual assault charges have been filed against the former director of the famed Allentown Ca. ", She said she didn't file a rape report or inform the board of directors because Hopkins seemed "untouchable.". George Hopkins pleaded no contest in Lehigh. Charges were filed against Hopkins in November 2018, months after Youth Education in the Arts launched an investigation after about a dozen women accused Hopkins of sexual misconduct. Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at 610-820-6506 or lmason@mcall.com. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors withdrew two charges of felony sexual assault and added the indecent assault count, a misdemeanor, and Hopkins pleaded no contest to that charge.
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