Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

[Kalalau]

Its shocking and depressing. When something like this happens you always wonder how it could have gone so far, how it could have been allowed to happen, why nobody spoke out and stopped it earlier. Now in addition to the 8 boys already mentioned there also seems to be a boy coach Sandusky molested in San Antonio.

I don't know what to make of Paterno. Certainly a fine coach. He was alerted to the problem and did refer the information upstairs in the University but the problem seems to be that thats all he did, the law requires the information to be turned over to the police, and that did not happen. Why? Hard to believe he'd have any good reason for not telling the police. Yet even harder to believe he didn't know the law.

I can understand why students and others objected to Paterno being fired by the University. However, I think firing him and the University president was the right decision. Seems he has contacted a defense attorney, maybe he is expecting legal problems.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

The school had been trying to lose him gracefully and then this exploded, ending a legendary career in disgrace. It's far from over, and if this murder thing has legs, look out!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

Seems he has contacted a defense attorney, maybe he is expecting legal problems.

Time for these guys to have their addresses changed from Penn State to State Pen.

[LikaNui]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

CNN.com poll, moments ago:

Did Penn State make the right move in firing Joe Paterno, effective immediately?

Yes... 76%... 194,438

No... 24%... 62,331

Total votes: 256,769

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

From what I've heard, Paterno only had a report. He didn't know if it was true.

So the question is, what is someone at his level supposed to do? Was simply reporting it sufficient, or was he obligated to do something about it - something that's beyond his primary job of coaching.

And if he is at fault, shouldn't someone above him be fired as well - for exactly the same failure? If not, then he's being made a scape goat to save the higher-ups.

Or to put this another way, if at work you hear a rumor that a co-worker is doing something illegal, is it enough to report it to HR? Or are you on the hook for not reporting it to the police yourself?

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

Was simply reporting it sufficient, or was he obligated to do something about it - something that's beyond his primary job of coaching.
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And if he is at fault, shouldn't someone above him be fired as well - for exactly the same failure?

He did not report it at the time, nor investigate, despite having been told by someone credible. The former athletic director and former university vice president have been charged with perjury and failure to report the 2002 assault, and the president of the college is out as well.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

From what I've heard, Paterno only had a report. He didn't know if it was true.

So the question is, what is someone at his level supposed to do? Was simply reporting it sufficient, or was he obligated to do something about it - something that's beyond his primary job of coaching.

As the Pennsylvania police commissioner stated, Coach Paterno fulfilled his legal obligation by reporting the sex abuse accusation to his superior, athletic director Tim Curley. But he also said Paterno failed to carry out his moral responsibility to report the incident to the authorities.

That Paterno carried out his legal obligation is the reason why he is not the target of any criminal prosecution in this case. But as far as the PSU Board of Trustees are concerned, Paterno's failure to do more did not meet their standards of what they expect someone in his position to do.

Classifying Paterno as someone merely hired to coach is a naive statement. As the leader of the school's storied football program, that position makes him the single most visible and prominent employee of the university. Head coaches of big-time football programs are very much the "faces" of their institutions, whether they like it or not. It comes with the territory. Everything they do on and off the field is examined under the microscope, so to speak. Personal conduct that is improper or unbecoming can be seen as detrimental to the best interests of the university, even if they provide winning results on the scoreboard.

I suppose that Paterno could sue PSU, if he feels that he was wrongfully terminated. But under the circumstances, I don't think that will happen. Joe Pa realizes that he screwed up, big time.

And if he is at fault, shouldn't someone above him be fired as well - for exactly the same failure? If not, then he's being made a scape goat to save the higher-ups.

On the surface, you're right. Although President Graham Spanier and Paterno were canned, AD Curley was placed on administrative leave. Why was Curley not fired as the same time as the other two? Good question. Perhaps the trustees don't want to take any decisive action against the man now, while he is being arraigned on criminal charges of prejury. Or maybe there are indications that he might file a suit against PSU if he is fired right here and now. If that is the case, then it does make sense to approach his termination with more caution. Ultimately tho, there's no way Tim Curley can come out of this ordeal and hold on to his job at PSU.

Or to put this another way, if at work you hear a rumor that a co-worker is doing something illegal, is it enough to report it to HR? Or are you on the hook for not reporting it to the police yourself?

Ah, GG. I think we've sufficiently discussed in this thread as well as this thread about how other crimes cannot be compared to the transgression of sexual abuse towards children. The protection that so-called "whistle-blowers" get when it comes to matters like embezzlement or other corporate misdeeds might very well not apply when it comes to anything having to do with the sexual exploitation of minors.

[Kalalau]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

Sandusky has released a statement saying it was a mistake to shower with those kids. Yep. He says there was never any sexual intention in anything he did. Everybody's entitled to a fair trial, to a presumption of innocence. It really strains credulity to believe his statement. If all it ever was was showering with kids that might explain why Paterno never contacted the police, or the other university officials, and why the judge let him out on bail (the judge served on the board of his Second Mile charity for wayward youth). He swears he is innocent. What else can he say? I guess there is always a chance its true. His case depends totally on what evidence the jury sees, what they see depends on the lawyers, relevant evidence can be excluded on objection on certain grounds. Showering with kids is very definitely "a mistake"! Understatement for the ages.

[Kalalau]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

I saw an interview with his attorney on "Today" this morning, he reminded viewers of the day center cases several years ago in which staff of several day care centers were accused of sexual offenses and conducting satanic rituals. None of it happened. Lives were ruined. There was also a case from Washington State in which an entire town was torn apart by false allegations. The attorney said they thought they had located the boy who at age 10 had allegedly been raped and that he told the attorney's investigators that the incident never happened. So.....I guess we will just have to see what the facts are. I do remember the day center cases, it sounded horrible, it sounded real, but it wasn't. There is a lot to be said for our system's presumption of innocence and for trial by jury. The guilty do need to be punished, but the innocent must be protected as well. One of the truly unfortunate aspects of our system is that although you are entitled to a fair trial, the cost of a successful defense can destroy a family's finances and as a rule the taxpayers are not on the hook to restore an innocent defendant to his original financial condition. I hope this story is not true, its just too sick.

[Amati]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

The Penn State despicable scandal continues:

Sandusky Guilty AP:

"Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has been convicted of 45 counts at his child sex abuse trial. Jurors announced the verdict Friday after weighing 48 charges accusing him of abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period."

"The verdict will impact not only Sandusky and the eight young men who accused him of molestation, but a range of civil and criminal probes of the scandal that shamed the university and brought down coach Joe Paterno. The jury's apparent focus on the charges involving an unknown boy called Victim 2 in court papers renewed attention on the separate criminal case against two former school officials. Tim Curley, who temporarily stepped down as athletic director, and now-retired vice president Gary Schultz are charged with lying to a grand jury about what they knew of the 2001 assault that then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary said he witnessed."

Having money and fame do not guarantee that a person is moral or trustworthy. Stories like these are what makes parents need to be ever-vigilant in watching over their children. But even sadder is that sometimes parents are the culprit:

"The couple was "crushed" Thursday when lawyers for one of their sons, Matt Sandusky, said the 33-year-old had been prepared to testify on behalf of prosecutors, Amendola said. Matt Sandusky said his father abused him, his attorneys said."

[matapule]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

Sandusky Guilty AP:

Justice has been served. However, it is not over yet. There are additional indictments and trials ahead. I trust that justice will be served in those cases too.

[TATTRAT]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

I hope he gets the same respect, and treatment in prison that he gave those kids.

And Riots at Penn State. . . way to support pedophiles, Penn State

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

I hope he gets the same respect, and treatment in prison that he gave those kids.

Hoping for more abuse/'prison justice' is one reason hy we'll never reform our insidious snake pit penal institutions for the betterment of all.

[TATTRAT]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

Hoping for more abuse/'prison justice' is one reason hy we'll never reform our insidious snake pit penal institutions for the betterment of all.

Shouldn't we be more worried about doing what it takes for people not to do crap that LANDS them into "our insidious snake pit penal institutions"?

Wouldn't that be for the betterment of all?

We aren't talking about a guy that did something once, I believe he would be classified as a habitual offender, don't ya think?

Sorry, he made his bed, he can sleep in it. They are called prisons/Penitentiaries, not Reformatories for a reason. he didn't sell a bag of weed, or steal a car, where he can go and get reformed to learn the error of his ways. . . this really shouldn't have to be spelled out. . .

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Penn State Child Abuse Scandal

A bad dodge is no excuse for poor rebutal and reasoning.