Penn State

I have to say something about the Sandusky scandal because Joe Paterno and Penn State Football are quite important in Central Pennsylvania and to our family.

It goes without saying that Sandusky's behavior is inexpressibly reprehensible, increased, if it's even possible, by the fact that he was picking his victims from his foundation, which worked with children from troubled backgrounds.

The fact that various people caught Sandusky in compromising situations, that there were warnings that were not attended to, is horrible. The fact that a graduate student observed him raping a child and almost nothing was done is unacceptable.

I don't know exactly how much Joe Paterno heard and I don't know what exactly he told his superiors, but regardless, I found his statement to be lacking:

If true, the nature and amount of charges made are very shocking to me and all Penn Staters. While I did what I was supposed to with the one charge brought to my attention, like anyone else involved I can’t help but be deeply saddened these matters are alleged to have occurred.

Sue and I have devoted our lives to helping young people reach their potential. The fact that someone we thought we knew might have harmed young people to this extent is deeply troubling. If this is true we were all fooled, along with scores of professionals trained in such things, and we grieve for the victims and their families. They are in our prayers.

As my grand jury testimony stated, I was informed in 2002 by an assistant coach that he had witnessed an incident in the shower of our locker room facility. It was obvious that the witness was distraught over what he saw, but he at no time related to me the very specific actions contained in the Grand Jury report. Regardless, it was clear that the witness saw something inappropriate involving Mr. Sandusky. As Coach Sandusky was retired from our coaching staff at that time, I referred the matter to university administrators.

I understand that people are upset and angry, but let’s be fair and let the legal process unfold. In the meantime I would ask all Penn Staters to continue to trust in what that name represents, continue to pursue their lives every day with high ideals and not let these events shake their beliefs nor who they are.

This seems to me to be an effort to deny any wrongdoing and to protect his friends and to distance himself from the whole affair. While it seems that Paterno is, legally speaking, not liable, he should have apologized for the way he handled the situation. It is clear now that much abuse might have been prevented if Paterno, for instance, had followed up with the university administration to make sure that the information that came to his attention had been passed on to the proper civil authorities. In the face of that knowledge, I'm not sure how you stand up and say that you did nothing illegal and leave it at that.

It's a real shame that this is the note on which Paterno's career will end, either now or at the end of the season.