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Von Metzke "groomed" underaged girls by texting
Also, I did not include the number of hours put in by students who are Stage Managers or Assistant Stage Managers, as they are not specified on the schedules, but I believe those positions put in even more hours than even the primary roles. I will update when I have that information.— June 29, 2017 12:45 p.m.
Von Metzke "groomed" underaged girls by texting
In addition to the normal care/influence instructors have at any place like this, I'd like to add some perspective about how much time these students spend at the theatre during a production. I've gone through old cast/crew schedules and added up the hours. I've used schedules from productions run during both the school year and summer months. Parents are not allowed to be present during rehearsals, which is standard. For a school year production, over the course of 11 weeks for rehearsal and performances, the number of hours typically spent by students at SDJT are as follows: Primary roles: 160 hours Ensemble: 140 hours Stage crew: 89.5 Usher/House manager: 43.5 *Note- *This does not include things like transportation to/from or classes that must be taken in order to participate. This is also during the school year, so students are also in their regular schools. The number of hours for crew varies, based on position. I calculated the crew members who have the most hours and the least hours. Most of the rest fall somewhere in between. For summer productions, the typical number of hours for an 11 week schedule are fairly similar: Primary roles: 176 Ensemble: 141 Stage crew:89.5 Ushers: 43.5 Most students are on summer break at this time, but again, either a class or a 2 week camp must be taken in order to qualify. Many choose camp, which adds another 60 hours spent at the theatre during this time. My point is not to complain about the number of hours, as they are made aware of the time frame before auditioning. My point is that this makes it easy for situations like what JT is facing to crop up when you have people with few ethics in charge.— June 29, 2017 12:29 p.m.
SD Junior Theatre teacher going to prison
Don, I had actually spoken to quite a few parents that we know. To my shock, much of the response I had received was fairly universal: JT is a home to us, and the theatre we want to stay with. This was back during the time when the locker room incident was coming out. Several of those were people whose daughters were present. They, as well as other families, did not want to speak up or rock the boat, as they feared it would interfere with their children's ability to participate at JT. I've had very little contact with any of the families who have decided they want to stay there since. We have run into one or two older students who have expressed that after the events of last fall, they no longer wanted to be there. Unfortunately, that is a small minority.— June 26, 2017 4:22 p.m.
Von Metzke "groomed" underaged girls by texting
Thank you for writing this, Don. It does a great job of explaining why people who have been upset about the issues in the previous articles are linking this to the overall situation. This is yet another piece to the much larger whole of corruption, ineptitude, and lack of concern for the safety of students. I implore the CA Attorney General and the government of the City of San Diego to take care of this mess. To those parents and families who still support Junior Theatre, please take a closer look at these issues. JT was *once* a wonderful place, but this is no longer the case. Please speak up and demand that those responsible are removed and replaced with people who will look out for your children.— June 25, 2017 3:58 p.m.
SD Junior Theatre teacher going to prison
Thank you, Don, for writing this. Up until this last fall, my child had been with JT for several years. I was extremely supportive of them, and actively promoted their classes, camps and shows to any families I know. After the scandal of the firings in the fall, I stopped suggesting them. After your previous article about Matt's report, I actively told people not to have anything to do with them. Now, after this, I feel I should apologize to any family I have recommended JT to. A month or so ago, we were speaking to my child's pediatrician, and discussing how everything that's happened has caused stress. When they asked which theatre, they were shocked to find out it was JT. They had just taken their kids to see a show there, and were heavily considering enrolling in some classes. Both my child and I were emphatic about saying that their children were best as far away as possible from JT, with everything going on. It hurt to say, but we could not, in good conscience, let anyone think that this is a safe environment for their children.— June 25, 2017 10:45 a.m.
SD Junior Theatre teacher going to prison
" What would JT have gained by harboring this teacher's actions?" JT would gain nothing. However, the members of the board would gain the *appearance* of actually being effective and putting the well-being of the students above their own selfish interests-such as remaining in these positions. Also, the biggest reason they would have to not report things or even cover up issues is that if no one knows, there are no repercussions-legal or otherwise.— June 25, 2017 10:36 a.m.
Brouhaha or foofaraw at San Diego Junior Theatre?
Don Bauder: No worries. As far as I know, there was not discontent prior to the firings. Some had noticed stress from James Saba during Goodnight Moon and Sweeney Todd. To my knowledge, few of the parents of students who were present during the incident were aware of it until after Tony and Rayme were fired. In my opinion, the firings and lack of communications were the catalysts for looking further into goings on at the theatre. Tony and Rayme *always* looked out for the well-being of the students. After they were no longer there, the feelings of family and security were gone. The theatre were also unprepared for the holes left by the 2 employees no longer being there. As we dug deeper into recent(at the time) events, we found more and more wrong. I was personally outraged to find out about the dressing room, as my child was present when it happened, and that was the first I had heard of it. I hope that answers your questions, but if you need clarification, please let me know.— May 5, 2017 4:24 p.m.
Brouhaha or foofaraw at San Diego Junior Theatre?
In answer to your questions: 1) No, James Saba was NOT put on any leave, and the "investigation" didn't happen until months after the incident. 2) NONE of the girls were interviewed. To this day, except for an interview with Itica Milanes, there have yet to be any interviews by professionals of any of the students present.— May 5, 2017 3:14 p.m.
Brouhaha or foofaraw at San Diego Junior Theatre?
Thank you for writing this article to help bring attention to the situation at Junior Theatre. There are a few points I'd like to make in regards to some of the comments, as a parent of a former JT student. First, as pointed out earlier, the students at JT are held to a very high standard. Not only is it made clear they are accountable, but all students and their parents in any production sign a contract in regards to this. It is definitely made very clear if there are major problems, they could be removed from the production and possible future involvement. The reason I'm reiterating this is that Jimmy Saba is pretty much the highest authority figure in the theatre. Considering he is the one who had committed the offense, and in anger, there is a definite intimidation factor at the outset. The age range of students is from 8-18 years. The oldest student in that production was 15. Another, related, thing I would like to point out from comments last fall when this was being discovered is that not only was the parent of the student who had been grabbed not informed, but very few, if any of the parents of the other students informed. This, again, can be viewed as being worried about getting in trouble. To add to this, after parents found out, there were very few who were wiling to speak up after Tony and Rayme were fired. The reason most often given by (I believe) most of them was that they were concerned that it would affect their children's ability to participate at JT in the future. JT has been considered the best youth theatre program in the area, and people did not want to have that taken away. Those who did speak up had to actively consider if they felt it was more important to speak to the truth, knowing it would likely cause the student to be blacklisted. There was no overt threat of such, but seeing how the board had handled things thus far, something like that would be a minor inconvenience for them. During the meeting between Gil Cabrerra and concerned parents, there was a point brought up that not only was the student who was grabbed a victim, but every student in that dressing room was, as well. It was a very disturbing and volatile situation for everyone in that dressing room.— May 4, 2017 2:17 p.m.