Statement by a WIDA parent -- For the love of the dance

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

Fri, Apr 19 2024, 15:15:01 [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: Tue, Sep 18 2007, 4:15:14
Author: WIDA parent
Subject: Statement by a WIDA parent
In reply to: MOD 's message, "As requested by several people I have removed a post regarding exams being held by the WIDA, as it appears the head of this organisation was convicted in the USA of child abuse. I wanted the post to stay initially as I know there have been people who had considered this organisation and untill they saw the information posted on here did not know of the history of the head of WIDA. Inside are all the replies that were recieved at the time." on Sun, Sep 16 2007, 19:37:30

I am a WIDA parent and I can say that Mr. Gavan was very upfront about his past. He does teach, but 90% are adults and I have never seen him teach a child unsupervised.
The summer workshops were run by him (teaching adults) and other teachers who took the childrens classes.
From what I see and hear at feiseanna, everyone is aware of the past and you can tell Mr Gavan makes a clear point of not being alone with a child.
So I can see your concern but all parents and teachers I have met are aware of his past.
He is mostly involved with running the organisation, travelling around the world teaching prospective teachers (ALL adults). And as I said, I rather KNOW who I am dealing with (and with everyone knowing people ARE watching).
I feel that my child is safe (Mr Gavan does not even give private classes) and KNOW of the conviction.
I trust my child TC too, and of his past i have no idea.
Just so you can see that we are not CLUELESS.
Thank you

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> Thank you WIDA parent for your informative post. Could you please elaborate on when exactly are parents usually told about the issue and how (when they join a calss, go to the first feis, are to meet SG himself)? I'm not attacking you by any means, I'm asking out of curiosity, I'd really want to know how it's dealt with. -- thank you, Tue, Sep 18 2007, 11:19:39 [1]

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> I too have checked the website for any reference to him being the head of WIDA and could not find his name mentioned ANYWHERE which is why this is all cloak and dagger, if he is that far out there letting people know his past then why would his name not be associated with WIDA on the website, so all is not as it appears to be. Its hypocrisy, either you put your name on and take ownership of the organization or you dont, you cant just lurk about it the background and hope to suck people in that way -- deception!, Tue, Sep 18 2007, 16:34:54 [1]

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> [> I can not talk about all parents. All I know is that when I signed my child up with her TC, the teacher told me all about Irish dance organisations and how many different orgs there were which were all fine. Then he said when WIDA was founded and talked about Mr Gavens past. My teacher said that when he went to join the org, Mr Gavan told him about his conviction upfront, so he -- WIDA parent, Tue, Sep 18 2007, 18:34:49 [1]

could chose wether to join as a TC or not. I know of other dancers who were told by their teachers the same way. I cannot tell you if all parenst are aware, for sure I do not expect anyone to walk around a feis and talk to strangers about their past. But the teachers I know and have spoken to were ALL told the moment they decided to join up. And as I said, Mr Gavan is more of an organiser, he only has a few students (most adult) other than prospective teachers. Other schools in WIDA are by far bigger. The regional directors and organizers of feiseanna are NOT all the same person. We have regional directors and lots of teachers, and I personally see no difficulty in him chosing to create an organisation, so he live his love of the dance and his talent. And thus making a point in NOT being a teacher for children. It takes some strength to stand in the spotlight and carry on, with everyone knowing what you did and knowing you are watched. I feel actually this to be far safer than the kind of offenders who disappear and are secretive about their crimes. At least here he told the teachers I know, my teacher told me, and he openly
admits to the conviction when asked, I do not see the deception you are talking about. He is not luring kids into a class, he is building up an organisation. I understand that some of you went through horrid times. I for myself have discussed that with my husband and find that the actual conduct and openness I have so far encountered when asking teachers about Mr Gavans past shows no sign of "trying to hush it up". And I am sure you will agree that noone is required to tell every single one you meet about your past (like an opening feis statement)). And the feiseanna are run by different schools and not Mr Gavan as a person.
I myself have recieved some bad-mouthed emails from sources unknown (in English) telling me all about Mr Gavan. I fact it was the same information that I had already been given by my teacher. That made me even more sure of the fact that my teacher had been told correctly by Mr Gavan. And it only shed a bad light on the sender (whoever it was) as it was anonymous. I read that you are afraid that he is using an alias. He is not. He has always used his name. And we ALL googled it, after our teacher told us.
From personal contact I have not once seen Mr Gavan behave in a suspicious way. I think that he makes it a point not to get into any situations that could be misinterpreted by onlookers.
I think that it takes courage to stand up and confess to the people you want to build up an organisation with instead of hushing it up. I have decided for myself that from what I have seen of Mr Gavan so far that I am very willing to give him a second chance.
And yes I do believe everyone deserves one, especially when he is so upfront about his past.
This is my opinion and I respect yours too.
All I can say is, I know who I am dealing with here, I am watchful, but I am not paranoid.
From what I can see, this is about DANCING not him.
He founded it, his teachers are teaching.
Thank you.
You will forgive me for not posting my email, but after my last positive statement my inbox almost exploded from nasty letters. The Mod has my IP, and I will very willingly forward my email address to him, should he so wish.
And as I said, none of the emails hold any information I was not aware of before.

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]