Author of band calendar speaks out
As part of new evidence, Thursday the university released a calendar with the title page reading “For Jon Waters’ eyes only.” The calendar included nude and semi nude photos of band members with band uniforms and instruments strategically placed. The author, Jonathan Picking, a 2007 OSU Marching Band assistant squad leader, has spoken out against the university because of its release. “We printed a single copy and put it in Jon Water’s mailbox for comedic effect. While I can’t speak for Jon, my guess is that he simply saw a meaningless joke, threw it into a pile, and forgot it for the next seven years while he got back to the significant work of creating musical and marching excellence on the field,” the statement read. The student goes on to say it was simply meant to be funny, a satire on other calendars of similar content. He said that it was “disappointing” to see how the calendar was misconstrued.
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Previously October 23, 2014
Ohio State lashes back with new accusations against Waters
Last month, Jon Waters pulled his final card and filed a law suit against Ohio State for his termination, asking for his job back, as well as $1 million. Ohio State as issued their response: new allegations that include another sexual assault and raunchy videos. While the crux of the university’s defense is that Waters was an at-will employee and could be terminated at anytime they’ve also thrown new accusations into the game. They are saying that under Waters’ term there was a third sexual assault from 2012. In the new evidence the university has provided photos from a calendar that was in Waters’ office with the cover page reading “For Jon Waters’ eyes only” and features mostly nude photos of male band members posing with their instruments or in front of a band flag in 2007, and one (what appears to be) a completely nude male, according to the Dispatch. They also reported videos that featured sketches that portray partially nude band members and Waters appeared in cameo parts in the sketches, according to the report.
Previously September 26, 2014
Jon Waters sues, asks for reinstatement and $1M in damages
UPDATE: Jon Waters sentiment in Friday’s press conference was clear: he had been the change. “What the report did was to take something that was very special and sacred and trash it,” Waters said. “We are not who they say we are.” The former director outlined his history with the band, and falling in love with the program at Ohio State. He said when he took the position he not only reinvented the half-time show, but also took a look at how student interacted with one another. “There were indeed aspects of that culture that needed to be reformed,” he said, and continued to say that he was the first to begin that change. “My philosophy is cultural change can’t be heavy handed,” he said and told press he didn’t believe in intimidating students into cultural change. Waters emphasized that the Ohio State marching band name, as well as all past and present member have been sullied by the Glaros report.
Former band director Paul Droste spoke on Waters behalf. “His firing in july was the worst thing that could happen to the band. Jon Waters was the solution to these problems,” Droste said. The former director said that Waters had worked with current and former members on how to change the culture, “and for this he was fired.”
Waters’ attorney David Axelrod has asked for Waters reinstatement as director, as well as at least $1 million in damages, punitive damages and attorney fees.
Well, it doesn’t really seem surprising that this was how this whole debacle ended considering it always seemed like it would end up in a lawsuit of some kind. Jon Waters has announced he will be suing Ohio State following his termination for an investigation that revealed a “sexualized culture.” He will hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. Friday with his legal team to tell all the details on how much monetary damages Waters plans on asking for.
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