On the Firing of the Ohio State Marching Band Director

For the last three years, I have been proud to call Ohio State my home. This week, as I prepare to enter my senior year at OSU, I have been surrounded by articles and opinions concerning the recent firing of the marching band director Jonathan Waters after a two-month investigation revealed a “culture of sexualization” and sexual harassment in the band. As I have read the report and listened as various students, staff, and alumni shared their opinions, I have, naturally, drawn my own conclusions and formed my own opinion, an opinion that, until now, I have been hesitant to share publicly, but I feel I must say that I believe the university made the right decision in firing Waters.

I am disappointed at the loss of such talent from our university, but I applaud the university administrators and President Michael Drake for taking substantial action to end a culture of sexual harassment in the band. I do not envy President Drake for the task of firing a wildly popular band director in his first weeks as the president of the university, but I support him wholeheartedly in his decision to do so.

I stand 100% behind Ohio State administrators and President Drake. At a time when over 50 colleges and universities, including Ohio State, are under investigation by the Department of Education for compliance with Title IX, it is clear that we live in a culture of complacency regarding sexual harassment and assault on college campuses. By taking action to curb a hostile environment in the marching band, Ohio State has bravely started to fight that culture of complacency on its own campus. Actions (and inactions) must have consequences when it comes to sexual harassment and hostile environments. While it is unfortunate that Waters had only two years to reverse the culture of sexual harassment in the band, his firing was a necessary consequence of both his own lack of appropriate action and the band members’ inappropriate behavior.

I’ve heard or read repeatedly that some or most band members didn’t have a problem with the culture of the band, but this is still not an excuse for band staff ignoring the complaints of those who did have a problem. Title IX was not designed to protect the vocal majority, but rather to protect the silent minority. In this case, the law did just that as it protected the students for whom the behaviors outlined in the report did create a hostile environment. Those students may have been afraid to speak out against band traditions in the face of the many students who perpetuated the traditions. It doesn’t matter if 1 or 100 people had a problem with the behaviors going on in the band; Title IX applies regardless. Even if most members had no problem with the culture of the band that does not make it acceptable. What is popular is not always what is right, and creating a hostile environment simply isn’t right.

After witnessing firsthand the 2011 football season and a devastating loss to That Team Up North, I can confidently tell you that the deep sense of Buckeye pride associated with Ohio State is about so much more than what happens in Ohio Stadium on Saturdays in the fall. Just as we do not live and die by our football record, we will not live and die by the number of walking dinosaurs the band creates. Certainly, I, along with many others, have enjoyed the success of both the band and the football team in the last year, but their successes and failures do not define my own pride in the wonderful community I am so privileged to be a part of. Just as the football team survived the loss of Coach Tressel, the band will survive the loss of Director Waters. If they have a weaker year because of it, then so be it. Fans will cheer just as loudly for TBDBITL as they would any other year. As for me, I am as proud as ever to be a Buckeye.