Penn State Scandal: Should Joe Paterno face charges too?

If you haven't heard, Penn State became a little rape shack for the former defensive coordinator Sandusky. He was caught by a graduate student and a janitor (2 seperate occassions from what I understand) raping boys in the shower (1 was 10 years old). A school vice president and the athletic director are being charged with lying to a grand jury over the case and JoePa is saying he knew about "something" involving his friend of 30 years and #1 defensive coach but didn't know the details. I'm starting to think Joe is lying, if someone comes to you (in this case a grad student) distraught about something he saw involving a friend of yours of 30 years who also happens to be one of your top employees, you don't ask questions? Even if there was no legal obligation to call the cops (which I think there is) you are still morally obligated to do something. Because of Joe and his staff there are more victims than there should be and all in the name of his "hall of fame winning record". I've lost even a sliver of respect I had for that school and program, I hope they throw the lot of them in the hole.

Rant over...

Joe Paterno of Penn State Nittany Lions says ,'If true, we were all fooled' - ESPN

 

Formally charged; Paterno likely not … he’s PSU's legendary football coach and icon, but more notably … FOOTBALL is a massive annual revenue source for Penn ($66 million total revenue and $50 million in profit; re Forbes). The potential hardest hit revenue streams are likely to be with declines in future alumni donations, sponsorships, and media revenues along with further down turns in subsequent years if the team loses out on top high school recruits to competitor programs. (Possible motive/s for attempted cover-up (?)). Always follow the money …

P.S. I do however, believe Paterno is soon to be history at Penn; not because of his behavior, but that the scandal adversely affects PSU stature and ultimately its revenues.

 

If a fellow employee came to you and told you that he witnessed another manager in the company having sex with a child, would the limit of your involvement be to report it to your boss?

And then, for the next 7 years, as the incident is swept under the rug, say nothing?

I wouldn't.

If this were a priest most people would be apoplectic over it.

He needs to go now. This is absolutely disgusting, I have three boys so it hits close to home. How many more kids were molested in the intervening years between when JoePa learned of the behavior and now?

There comes a time in your life when you are asked to do the "right" thing. Most men, when faced with those situation, actually do-do the right thing. JoePa failed. He is a failure as a man and human being.

Good riddance.

 

Honestly if I interupted a boy being raped like that I'd dial 911, give the operator the address then let him/her listen on the phone while I beat the rapist until the police arrive to save him.

 

Good riddance, etc.: "Joe Paterno’s tenure as coach of the Penn State football team will soon be over, perhaps within days or weeks," sources tell the New York Times. Penn State Said to Be Planning Paterno Exit Amid Scandal (Mark Viera and Pete Thamel, The New York Times, November 8, 2011)

And this absolutely shouldn't dispose of any issues of criminal responsibility or civil liability.

 

If he shows up to Saturday's game I am done with Penn State...no respect for their team, their school, nothing.

 

Don’t hold the entire institution responsible due to the behaviors of some pathetic and dishonest individuals.

 

The institution should step forward and ban Paterno from coaching the game.

I know someone who was recruited by Penn State, and he described his visit to Paterno's office as like visiting the Wizard of Oz, due to its flamboyance and grandeur (most likely to impress recruits). He seems to put "the program" above all else, which now seems to include the safety of children.

Fired at the very least, and prosecuted if at all possible.

 

In the local paper today it mentioned that in Florida (where I am located) there IS a legal obligation to report real suspicions of abuse. However even in the absence of legal obligation I agree with you that there is the moral obligation.

 

How many times have we heard it said that Paterno IS Penn State. Add to that the cover up is going all the way to the top, it won't shock me in the least if the President of the school loses his job over this so yes, Penn State as an institution is responsible and needs to take immediate and drastic corrective action. If Paterno shows up to that game on Saturday, everything Penn State claims to have stood for for the past 50 years is a dead on, bold faced, lie. I'm with Bruce on this, Paterno should be looking at serious jail time. In Texas coaches and teachers are required by law to report crap like this to the POLICE not simply to their boss. Paterno is a SCUM BAG of the highest order.

 

Per my previous response (re Accusations of child sex, cover-up Rock Penn State): “In my understanding of this requirement (as is also the legal requirement in Texas) … Joe Paterno had a mandatory obligation to report the alleged abuse incident (reported to him by the graduate student) to public authorities FIRST; however, Paterno merely reported the alleged incident within the PSU chain-of-command. This action, per my understanding, would NOT meet the standard as required by PA law (re Pennsylvania Code Section 23§6303, et seq.), e.g., reporting requirement to public investigative agencies.”

Monday afternoon (11/7/11) “… Fox News reported that the PA Attorney General made a public statement that Paterno had complied with the law by reporting the incident to his PSU superiors. I am certainly not an attorney, however, as a school administrator or teacher per Pennsylvania Code 23§6303, et seq., seemingly Paterno would have been required to DIRECTLY report the incident to the authorities and not just to the PSU athletic director. At minimum, Paterno had an obligation to directly report the incident told to him by the grad student to the university’s law enforcement agency (e.g., PSU Police and Public Safety). IMO, Paterno didn’t comply with the law in that PSU administrations (Athletic Director) are NOT the PA Department of Public Welfare of the Commonwealth OR a law enforcement agency.”

As a former Texas education administrator and teacher, ALL teachers are required to report child abuse or suspected abuse DIRECTLY to either Child Protective Services (CPS) or law enforcement. Nonetheless, certain PSU decision makers chose the official route (e.g., keeping the incident in-house); independent investigation will hopefully make public how high-up the chain this decision actually went.

 

Fox News just reported that Paterno’s son has stated that Joe will retire after this season …

 

thank you!

 

Eff retirement...this guy should be tossed out like the garbage he is. I cannot believe they are considering even letting him coach this last home game. This was not some mamby-pamby NCAA recruiting violation (which would have excluded him from coaching) nor was it players getting free tattoos (which also excluded them from playing) this was a felony coverup of a crime second only in murder in its severity. What the heck is wrong with Penn State? Can't they see that or is college football really that important to them? I'm a huge college football fan, fanatical actually but there is a line where the games stop and real life has to step in. If he had been a public school teacher he'd be OUT ON BAIL, forget retirement, forget pensions, forget riding off into the sunset. It'd be cops and lawyers and plaintiffs (oh my!). This guy is getting treated like royalty with everyone (including moron students) surrounding him to protect him...I just don't get it.

Has anyone here read the grand jury report? It will seriously make you want to vomit. It got so bad I closed it...not workplace appropriate but I'll have to read it once I get home just to try and grasp the full horror of what went on at PSU. I wish more people would to truly understand the gravity of what Paterno and company covered up and allowed to continue where they work...if it wasn't for Paterno and company, there would be fewer victims whose lives have been ruined. This man should die in prison (being 84 only a few years and he'd die of old age) but he'll probably get to hide behind his money and prestige. Either way, at 85 years old, he'll likely be standing before "the Man" sooner rather than later, where money, power and prestige offer no comfort.

 

You are absolutely correct in your outrage. The punishment must be severe, and he should not be given any special treatement. Of course, once the bar is lowered, and players like Michael Vick get busted for doing grotesque horrific things, he gets a slap on the wrist and goes on playing like nothing ever happened. When we allow these things to happen as a collective society, we lower the bar of moral conduct.

Abner

 

At least in Vick's case it was dogs, not people. Also he got actual prison time and it cost him tens of millions of dollars...I think JoePa is going to get away scott free with nothing but a pink slip and it makes me sick. Especially since this guy's whole schtick was about "honor" and "winning the right way" and all that garbage. To think this happened to underpriveledged kids (read poor) only makes it worse. These kids already had a tough road in life and this snake (Sandusky) sets up a charity to ruin what little chances they do have at a good life just get his rocks off for a few seconds and all under JoePa's nose while JoePa knew about it.

I know I'm venting, probably borderline fixated on this story but this story hits home with me, I was something of a Penn State fan. I was also something of a JoePa fan but more important than any stupid game I am and always will be a victim's advocate...especially with children. The whole thing just disturbs me to the core...it's almost unreal.

 

This really kills any love for collegiate sports that I had.

7 grown men did *nothing* to prevent an animal from sexually abusing young boys, and in fact enabled him.

Everyone in the grand jury report (and if you are commenting on this thread please read the report, it's f**king disturbing) should be gone from that university immediately.

Including Joe Paterno - f' him. He tossed his entire legacy out the window protecting that douchebag.

Mike Mcquery should eat a shotgun for witnessing the rape of a 10 year old boy and doing nothing except call his daddy. He was 28, what a coward.

Sidebar - if I was 19/20 years old and playing football in that program. I would basically be telling Mcquery if he speaks to me they'll be picking up pieces of his body around campus.

Doesn't anyone today have a sense of right/wrong? Doesn't anyone in that entire school have any conviction? Intestinal fortitude? And I include the current players on the team who should stand up and say "I'm not playing Saturday if either of these men is on the sideline." Fcking cowards.

 

Well have a cookie, IN THE PRISON MESS.

President Spanier also needs to go.

Also, it looks like, to jail.

In Penn State’s scandal, where was the leadership? (Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post, November 7, 2011)

 

If JoePa takes the field Saturday...I for one will NEVER, EVER recommend any Penn State program to anyone for any reason and I (along with several others on this and other sites) recommend a lot of schools to a lot of people. Penn State can suck it...