I try not to write too often about current events, but this whole story has captivated so many people over the past few days, including myself, that I feel obligated to write something. This was a story that I tried to avoid at first, but as it became apparent that it wasn't going away, I got wrapped into it. And now here I am, trying to put my thoughts into words.
For those who don't know, earlier this evening Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was let go due to his affiliation with a child abuse scandal concerning some of his former staff members. I certainly don't have the knowledge or information to expand on the case itself, and I don't know that anyone does. And I don't know that I have the eloquence to write about the situation, but I feel somewhat obligated too.
Over the past few days, everyone in the media has made it a point to recognize that the children who were abused, and their families, are the people we should be focused on and feel sympathy for. I totally agree. Having worked with a great number of children in different capacities over a number of years, I cannot think of any reason that any child would deserve to be sexually abused. Actually, deserve is the wrong word. No child should ever be sexually abused, period. I think that anyone would agree with that statement.
To think that any child should ever have to live with that experience is frightening and sickening. And to think that anyone would ever bring that upon a child is incredibly disturbing. I don't understand the logic behind any man or woman who would ever expose a child to that.
That being said, when this story first broke, I was not on the "Fire Paterno" bandwagon. While it is clear that Paterno never took part in any of the abuse directly, it remains unclear (to me) just how he relates to this case, outside of the fact that he was working with some of these alleged criminals. We, as the public, still know very little about what Paterno knew at the time, and what he declined and/or failed to report. Really, the only person who knows is Joe Paterno himself.
By all accounts, Paterno is a high-character, high-moral man, who has made a name for himself by molding boys into men for generations. As a coach, he not only maintained success on the field, but made sure his players graduated and succeeded inside and out of the game of football. And it is a shame to think that his legacy may be tarnished by one incident, or one poor lack of judgment, even if that lack of judgment may have come out of extreme loyalty.
It remains to be seen where this will end up, and I honestly feel for the players, coaches, and community of Penn State. While the children who were abused are obviously the most severe victims of these heinous crimes, some people forget that there are also 18 and 19 year old young men competing on the football field who are having their worlds turned upside down right now because of a few people's poor judgments. There are men, women, and families who have been shaken to the core by allegations of their hero's misdeeds. There is a university, and a whole community, who will never be the same. For, as anyone is Pennsylvania, or who is familiar with college football can tell you, State College becomes the third largest city in Pennsylvania on Saturdays in the fall. And Joe Paterno made that happen.
Paterno may ultimately be the fall guy in this whole scenario, and I hope that is true. I hope that he knew nothing, and is just the big name in this story that the media jumped all over. I hope that the man who has been on the sidelines for Penn State football since my parents were children holds to that reputation as a high-character, high-moral man for generations to come. I hope Penn State football survives and maintains it's high standards, if for no other reason than I am a selfish, stubborn sports fan. And above all else, I hope that whatever, if any, misdeeds he committed didn't lead to any other children being harmed. I hope, but I am not optimistic.
