Penn State was punished this week for covering up the child sexual abuse of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
ESPN reported that Penn State was hit with a $60 million fine and a four-year football postseason ban. The university also had to vacate all of its wins since 1998 – 112 in all. Joe Paterno went from the winningest coach in the history of college football, to the 12th winningest.
In June, Sandusky was found guilty of 45 of 48 criminal counts related to his sexual abuse of young boys, CNN reported. Sandusky showered with a boy in a Penn State locker room in 1998, but no charges were brought.
Although Sandusky left the university in 1999, he continued to have access to university facilities, despite the fact officials knew of the 1998 incident, according to cbssports.com.
In February 2001, Sandusky was seen sexually assaulting a boy thought to be about 10-years-old in the university's Lasch Building Shower by graduate assistant Mike McQueary. McQueary reported what he saw to Penn State officials including Paterno, but authorities never were alerted, cbssports.com reported.
The university conducted its own investigation of the child sexual abuse scandal. Former FBI director Louis Freeh's report was filed July 12. Among its findings: "The most saddening finding by the Special Investigative Counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims."
Some have said that the sanctions levied against the university went too far: "The wins...we didn't cheat at football, that's unnecessary," student Alex Gibson told ABC.
Paterno died in January, but his family released a statement critizing the university for accepting the punishment from the NCAA: "Punishing past, present and future students of the University because of Sandusky's crimes does not serve justice," the Detroit Free Press reported.
Besides the post season ban, this does not effect the current students. All players were given the offer to transfer and the NCAA is making exceptions for schools to offer these kids scholarships even if that school is out of scholarship money to give. Plus the Big 10 is taking whatever shares that Penn State would normally get.from the Big 10 championship (about 13 million) and donating to charities for abused children. I believe the NCAA should do the same with the 60 million they are fining. There is no easy punishment for the school. This not something the NCAA has had to deal with before. They could have given the school the death penalty and not had them play football at all, but that would be a punishment to the current students.
Joe P SHOULD HAVE FIRED SANDUSKY. In all those years he had to have known about his proclivities but kept quiet because of his being a great coach. I read in many places Joe weilded power over what happened at the university and the Board. No excuse for the Board to go along if that is true because they were charged to do right by all students.
Shame on the police who some say were S-monster students. They failed to protect the children by starting an investigation. McQueary, instead of pulling the naked monster holding a cowering kid against the wall went away quietly. He did tell Joe (who did nothing). All school officials are mandated by law to report child abuse. A perpetrator can operate freely infecting each kid w/terror, emotional pain only because of "enablers" who looked the other way. Sandusky wife knew, but the comfortable life was hard to give up for "those demanding boys"!! Joe's family upset @everyone defiling his memory. They should show respect to Joe by acknowledging his faults and still love him BUT NOT demand same from people like me. He failed to protect kids that is the biggest sin. A request...PLEASE FORGIVE TYPOS,hard to check on my phone, because I don't know how. Hope u understand the kids come first. A bit of suggestion ...next time before showing reverence to some because of their position or bankbalance, think of Penn State and remember to only revere actions that affect others positively particularly children and the elderly. Let your children see that. Then maybe just maybe we will not have another Penn State. Right now there are still molested children because of reverence over positions that condone harm. By being impressed by position you become an enabler of bad. Let Penn State remind you not to be an enabler and keep your children safe. Remember Penn State
Erect a statue to Joe-Pa? Of course! Erect a statue to Joe-Ped? No.