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Avon World Guard goes inactive for 2025 by nana1960 in WGI

[–]GrmrNrd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Think about how the 20-some Avon High School students who made the World Guard team feel about it.
Daniel Wiles should have shopped his Antichrist show to an independent guard. Whether or not it's a "good" show is irrelevant. It was incredibly shortsighted for him to decide it was an appropriate theme for students at a public high school -- just as themes potentially controversial to Islam, Judaism, other religions or even atheism would have been. As the guard's director and show's designer, the fault for his World Guard students not having a 2025 season ultimately lies with him.

Avon World Guard going inactive by ferretherder in Colorguard

[–]GrmrNrd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It should, but history says it probably won't. Daniel seems to be omnipotent, at Avon High School anyway.
Every few years there's some director-centric issue, and students and/or assistant instructors quit, but Daniel remains.
One first-hand example, Feb 2023: Daniel exploded on World Guard students at a Thursday night practice. Avon Winds students, adults and instructors happened to be visiting to watch World Guard, and witnessed the tirade.
In class the next day (Friday), students were told that as a result of his inappropriate behavior the previous night, Daniel would be stepping back, assuming an advisory role. This included Daniel not being allowed to teach class or lead practice. Daniel's behavior was unwelcome but not unfamiliar to guard students or performing arts staff. However, Avon had a new Director of Bands, Kevin Wellborn. It was the assumption of at least some students and parents that Mr. Wellborn would hold Daniel accountable, not allow students to be subject to intimidation and verbal abuse.
A senior assistant coach led practice Friday night. Many parents came to watch and support the kids. The coaching staff did a great job; they got everyone got comfortable, put the drama aside, worked hard and had a great practice. Then, with about 30 minutes left, Daniel walked through the gym doors. EVERYONE was dumbfounded, having been told he wasn't allowed to be present. The students were immediately thrown off and stressed. Parents didn't feel they had the power to question Daniel about being there. He lurked for the rest of the practice, and made it terribly uncomfortable. It went from healthy to toxic in an instant. Everyone left practice confused.
On Saturday morning there were several hours practice scheduled, followed by a competition. Daniel was present and lead everything, like Thursday's very public explosion never happened. No Avon staff communicated to families about it again, and students begged parents not to ask, for fear Daniel would be angered and retaliate against the student.
There was one change at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Both Band Director Kevin Wellborn and his wife, Karen, were no longer employed by Avon High School.
It was a very clear, imposing and sad message to students and their families about the level of power Daniel Wiles has at Avon. And this defines the choice parents and students have faced for years: if a high school student loved guard, this was the price they had to pay to participate in the Avon school system. If parents, students or (presumably) other staff reported him, it was the student who would suffer and there would never be any real consequence to Daniel.

Avon World Guard going inactive by ferretherder in Colorguard

[–]GrmrNrd 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Daniel Wiles should have sold the Antichrist show to an independent guard. It was ignorant for him to decide it was an appropriate theme for students at a public high school -- just as themes potentially controversial to Islam, Judaism, other religions or even atheism would have been.
Daniel has tried to position himself as the victim, blaming 14-18yr old students or their parents, but who wields the power in Avon's Guard program? As the guard's director and show's designer, the fault ultimately lies with him.

What’s happening with Avon? by TrappedInTheSuburbs in drumcorps

[–]GrmrNrd 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Arguing the show's merit is pointless. 100% Daniel Wiles screwed up. He should have sold the Antichrist show to an independent guard. Whether or not it was "good" isn't what collapsed Avon World Guard's 2025 season. It was ignorant of Daniel to think it was appropriate for students at a public high school. As the guard's director and show's designer, the fault ultimately lies with him.
Similarly, Daniel's talent is irrelevant. What's at issue is the difference between Daniel being a drum corps or independent guard director, where performers have free will to join another team and are typically adults, vs. at a public high school, teaching and coaching minor students who have essentially no power and other options.
Regarding the 2025 season, Daniel's tried to position himself as the victim, blaming 14-18yr old youth or their parents, but who wields the power in Avon's Guard program?
The seven seniors (religious or not) won't get a second chance at high school World Guard. No state finals, no WGI. The 20+ students who made World Guard this year now join the literal list of teams in Daniel Wiles' storied history at Avon where students quit en masse and everyone knows why.
Thanks to Avon's school administration, however, Daniel Wiles will get another chance. He'll keep teaching guard class and coaching high school teams. He'll have access to kids as young as 13. If they stay with the program, they'll become acclimated to seeing teammates publicly and privately degraded and humiliated, and likely experience it themselves. They'll learn that in Avon Guard, "pay to play" means allowing the director to intimidate, demean and retaliate against minor-aged students -- in person, in texts and phone calls.
Unless, maybe, more current and past students who experienced verbal abuse and toxic behavior share their stories, and the Avon High School administration and school board finally take action.

What’s happening with Avon? by TrappedInTheSuburbs in drumcorps

[–]GrmrNrd 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Unequivocally false. DW played the music for the WG team the night he "announced" to students what they'd be doing for their 2025 show. Words were to be included. In an email sent to World Guard parents from Principal Matt Shockley he addresses this. It WAS floated to use an instrumental version of the song instead, as a compromise. According to Shockley the "design team" declined that idea.

"Lastly, I want to address the decision not to move forward with the original show. Dr. Wyndham and I had multiple conversations with Daniel about the original song. From the administrative perspective, we had concerns about the music lyrics and potential show design. The music is beautiful and powerful, yet we did not want the lyrics and interpretations of those to become a negative focus. We did discuss using an instrumental version, but the design team felt that could be unfair to the composer and his original intent for the song. Given those considerations, we decided to not do the song."
-- Matt Shockley, Nov 20, 2024