Penn State Sandusky scandal

Parent Cafe
1121

<p>mom- did you go to the police if not why not. It seems that you did what the GA did pass the question to someone else?</p>

1122

<p>tom1944: I feel like people are saying “well all the information isn’t out yet” as a way to handwave away what we do know, and what we do know is enough to warrant a certain level of disgust and anger.</p>

1123

<p>How- do you know that he did not follow up the 2002 incident and was told it was investigated? Do you know for sure what the GA told him. Do you know what he knew about the 1998 incident. Do you really know what relationship he had with Sandusky? I have a hard time believing all these men covered up for a man they knew was raping children.
I choose to hold my opinion for now. I am not willing to forgive or condemn them yet.</p>

1124

<p>Its incredible how young the victims are. These aren’t kids, they are babies. I remember when I was 8 to 10. I loved sports. I listened to every sports event that I could. I worshiped anybody associated with these sports teams. The idea that I could go hang out with a coach or a team would have been a dream come true. The fact that this monster took advantage of that and he was protected by the institution makes this one of the most disgraceful episodes ever by a University. These kids aren’t teen-agers, they are as young as 8 which makes this crime infinitely more heinous.</p>

1125

<p>Was forwarded this statement by a PSU alum that has been circulating around on Facebook and other sites. I think it’s a very good representation of what the PSU community is going through and trying to say at this point.</p>

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1126

<p>The “factual information:”</p>

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<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/sports/ncaafootball/aftermath-of-1998-sandusky-investigation-raises-additional-questions.html#h[/url][]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/sports/ncaafootball/aftermath-of-1998-sandusky-investigation-raises-additional-questions.html#h[]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>and</p>

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<p>[Yahoo</a>! News](<a href=“Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More”>Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More)</p>

<p>So you’re really going to believe that a criminal investigation about one of his direct assistant regarding an incident that allegedly took place in his place of employment was never brought to the attention of the man responsible for the overall program?</p>

<p>How much more “factual information” do you need?</p>

<p>If you want to believe in fairy tales, that’s your affair.</p>

1127

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<p>But YOU ARE going to go into that stadium tomorrow and try to act as though everything is rosy - oh wait, you’re going to wear blue instead of white, and you’re going to observe a moment of silence. But what will be really important TO YOU is what’s on the scoreboard after 60 minutes.</p>

<p>Sick.</p>

1128

<p>You know the man because you had ice cream with him at the Creamery? And chatted with him as you walked by? Talk about knowing the man intimately, what nonsense…i am 100% certain there were many people who thought Sandusky walked on water…PSU coach, charitable guy, looked after children in need,started a foundation to help those in need…</p>

1129

<p>Now who’s being full of hyperbole and melodrama?</p>

<p>Look, I’m married to a tarheel, and if Dean Smith had ever been accused of covering up for a pedophile or a child rapist was ever being allowed to keep keys to the UNC basketball lockerroom? I can only imagine how that would have rocked his world. So, yeah, other people DO understand what it is to have an important sports program as a part of their lives.</p>

<p>I also went to Catholic school. I have an uncle who is a priest. I know the kind of dismay this situation causes in the people trying to make sense of it. I also know that powerful men DO protect sick men when they believe it is in the best interest of the institution. They do sacrifice the well being of the children for the sake of their own reputation and the reputation of their institution.</p>

<p>As I said earlier, I don’t think Peterno is going to go to jail. I dont’ think he’s even going to be investigated for criminal behavior. He did what he “had to do.” Fine. </p>

<p>As for the rest of them? Somebody’s going to jail for the coverup. The coverup, when it comes to pedophilla, is what allows it to continue. I’m sad for the people who believed Paterno was a man he did not turn out to be. I doubt anyone on the planet is the man Penn State fans wanted to believe Paterno was. But, I’m more sorry for the victims of Sandusky and for the fact that there were more of them than there needed to be.</p>

1130

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<p>Yes, the man you knew was also the man for whom the protection of the reputation of his football program was more important than the protection of defenseless young children against whom unspeakably horrible crimes were being committed.</p>

<p>The man is revealed to be complete moral trash.</p>

1131

<p>Tom3 </p>

<p>I didn’t go to the police because no sex act was done. It was what the kid was saying. The substitute heard the boy telling another kid to suck his ***** and something else along that line with some hand signs showing how. Pretty explicit talk for a little kid. The boys were in kindergarten at the time and not middle school (not that that would have made it ok but middle schoolers are mean). Of course it upset the other kid. These were 5 year old boys so they could not be arrested in my state. I told the substitute who witnessed it to refer the matter to social services and the school psychologist to investigate, along with the principle. Now if I had saw something I would have reported it to the police. Like kids doing something in the hallway. There was no real incident to go to the police. I didn’t even witness the incident myself because I was not there. I saw the substitute write the report and do know they were following up on the boy. He had to go to the principle that day. I even gave a warning to his next year teachers just to be on the look out. This boy is extremely bright which worries me if he really does turn out to be a monster later.</p>

1132

<p>Unfortunately, there are no good guys in this and Paterno’s fame makes him the easiest and maybe the most deserving target of our collective rage. But let’s not forget Paterno’s grand jury testimony supports McQuery’s testimony and that is the backbone of the prosecution’s case against Sandusky.</p>

<p>Curley and Schultz, also failed to act in 2002 while knowing the details of the 1998 incident. But even more egregious are their statements to the grand jury denying McQuery’s reporting of Sandusky’s sexual abuse of victim 2. </p>

<p>Curley and Shultz need to stop lying and pretending they didn’t act - because they didn’t know. Sorry, that dog won’t hunt.</p>

1133

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<p>Talk about wow. So you took it upon yourself to blacken this 5-yr-old boy in the eyes of his teachers next year before he ever set foot in their classroom? A boy who most likely had been–through no fault of his own, obviously–at the very least exposed to inappropriate material? In case he “turns out to be a monster”?</p>

<p>AND YOU ARE PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK???</p>

1134

<p>If Sandusky is innocent (or the allegation is debatable) why Paterno and Spanier were fired? Can the president of a university be fired easily like that?</p>

1135

<p>“That’s why I am so uneasy with all of the PSU alum and parents who so willingly give a pass to their god, Paterno”</p>

<p>As I mentioned in an earlier post, please stop assuming that so many Penn State alum, parents or even students are so adoring of Paterno or even football. You just can’t generalize to hundreds of thousands of people out there who have studied, taught or had children who attended Penn State. Yes, some adore football. But many, many others are skeptical of the whole nonsense of the football culture. Please stop assuming that everyone who goes to school there is of one mindset. It’s just not true.</p>

1136

<p>Rings true:</p>

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<p>[Crushing</a> Our Better Angels: How Tribalism & Self-Identity Force Us to Support Penn State, Herman Cain and Rick Perry ? The League of Ordinary Gentlemen](<a href=“http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/blog/2011/11/10/crushing-our-better-angels-how-tribalism-self-identity-force-us-to-support-penn-state-herman-cain-and-rick-perry/]Crushing”>http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/blog/2011/11/10/crushing-our-better-angels-how-tribalism-self-identity-force-us-to-support-penn-state-herman-cain-and-rick-perry/)</p>

1137

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Well, I feel like you’re accusing anybody who won’t join the Paterno lynch mob just yet of condoning child rape. I guess we’re all entitled to our feelings.</p>

<p>But I’ve got to say that I continue to think that it’s a bit early to say that Joe Paterno, at least, is “complete moral trash.” Even if this is the worst thing he’s ever done, it’s still not the only thing he’s ever done. Heck, I know I’ll get flamed for even thinking this, but I don’t automatically assume that everything Sandusky ever did was for the purpose of lining up victims. People are complex.</p>

<p>I also note that Sandusky may well plead not guilty, and may claim that the worst thing he ever did was shower with some kids. If he convinces a jury that this is the truth, what then?</p>

1138

<p>maggiedog, it is unfortunately obvious that many derive acute personal satisfaction from a lynch mob mentality. Perhaps it is cathartic.</p>

1139

<p>“Talk about knowing the man intimately”</p>

<p>My bad… I thought that was referring to the devil himself. Now I can finish my breakfast. It’s Quaker Oats. Good for your <3 :)</p>

1140

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<p>Seriously? It happens all the time. The Catholic church is just one of many instances that come to mind here. And they certainly aren’t the only ones to put protection of an institution over the welfare of children. Just because you can’t conceive of doing this kind of thing doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of people in the world completely capable of it.</p>