Hard to feel sympathy for someone who knew that Sandusky was more than likely continuing to molest children, and chose not to stop it.
The problem is unless you actually witness someone molesting a child first hand it is very difficult to do much more than report what someone has said. Mr Paterno reported second hand information.
Wanted to add..the people he reported it to are far more to blame than Mr Paterno, if he shares any blame at all, as Mr Paterno is not law enforcement.
You could argue whether he could have done more to do follow up perhaps.
Even if he had followed through it would still have rested on law enforcement to persue it.
Hard to feel sympathy for someone who knew that Sandusky was more than likely continuing to molest children, and chose not to stop it.
The problem is unless you actually witness someone molesting a child first hand it is very difficult to do much more than report what someone has said. Mr Paterno reported second hand information.
I don’t understand why this isn’t so completely obvious to everyone. He only had secondhand knowledge and he DID report the secondhand knowledge to the university. It was the universitys job to investigate. HoePa did what he should have done.
I feel so bad for him RIP JoePA.
The “problem” is that the “second-hand” information came from a graduate assistant—a member of his own coaching staff, who witnessed the molestation in person. Beyond that, Coach Paterno made matters worse by reporting it to university officials (namely the athletic director) who were already aware of Gerry Sandusky’s criminal behavior and chose to cover it up, lest the “brand” of Nittany Lion football be tarnished, along with JoePa’s reputation.
When Mike McQueary saw Sandusky raping that boy in the shower, he reported it to Paterno. At that point, he had a choice: continue the cover-up, or call the police and let the chips fall where they may. He chose the former, and Sandusky’s crimes continued for almost another decade.
Coach Paterno should be remembered for all that he accomplished. Beyond the record for wins, he helped a number of young men earn their college degrees and enjoy success that might otherwise have been beyond their reach. But Paterno’s legacy will also be forever shaped by his actions on the day in 2002 when he had a chance to end Sandusky’s crime spree once and for all, and elected to remain a part of the cover-up.
It’s tough to judge a man by his decision in one episode of an otherwise stellar career, but Coach Paterno’s inaction led to the rape of other boys (at the hands of his former assistant), and the destruction of countless lives. Sadly, that too will be a lasting part of his legacy.
Yes he did.....
In 2005 or 2006 an employee at my plant was arrested and thrown in jail after being accused of molesting his young daughter's girlfriend.
In the end, it was discovered that the girl lied and that she was put up to it by the wacko ex-wife........
I can't imagine the humiliation and being ostracized by neighbors and co-workers he had to deal with. He never fully recovered from his ordeal. That and the closing of our plant at the end of 2006 lead him to commit suicide in 2007.......Andy was a kind soul and good man too.
Mr Paterno probably engaged in it himself
He knew and he told the PSU’s trustees. Yes, child molestation is sick, but JoePa told. He is guilty in one thing, not following through.