More Joe Pa

Last night I made a move to defend Paterno.  I’ve seen some other arguments thatkinda don’t agree with me; and that’s fine.  I like the push, the challenge.  So, I’ve thought about it some more.

From what I understand, the crime was witnessed by a graduate student.  This grad student then reported it to Paterno.  It’s here, in my mind, that the critical decision takes place.  Where I work, if I hear, HEAR, of a possible crime being committed by an employee or on corporate property, I’m to report that information to internal HR or security.  At this point, I am NOT to call 9-1-1.  Rather, I will have my statement taken and then I’ll be directed to do the appropriate.

If that’s too call the authorities, then I will.  If it’s to watch or listen for further information I will.

Whatever else I might think about what happened, should happen or will happen, my role is to report and do what I’m told.

Now, with that said, given the nature of the allegations, I might have acted not like that.  Be that as it may.  In fact, it might turn out that if I HAD acted like my gut told me, I would be or could be sued, I might do it anyway.  However, Joe didn’t.  He did what the book said.

I slide a little more towards the “support Joe”: camp the more I think about it.

 

 

 

 

6 responses to “More Joe Pa

  1. Ryan Patrick Grace

    I think there are several tragedies here. The first (and imo more serious) are the inhumane, immoral, and simply disgusting acts allegedly performed by Sandusky in the first place. Those kids have that nightmare forever seared into their memories.
    The next tragedy is that Paterno was informed of what happened, and good for him that he reported it. However, when Joe saw Sandusky on campus and in that locker room not once, not twice, but for YEARS after reporting the incident, he should have taken further action.
    The final insult lies with those that perjured themselves in order to save face of the athletic department.

    Grand Jury Report linked below.

    http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/uploadedFiles/Press/Sandusky-Grand-Jury-Presentment.pdf

    • The first (and imo more serious) are the inhumane, immoral, and simply disgusting acts allegedly performed by Sandusky in the first place. Those kids have that nightmare forever seared into their memories.

      For sure, Freakin’ tragedy.

      The next tragedy is that Paterno was informed of what happened, and good for him that he reported it. However, when Joe saw Sandusky on campus and in that locker room not once, not twice, but for YEARS after reporting the incident, he should have taken further action.

      Yeah, that’s the whole nasty ugly of it all. What more could/should he have done? I’m not sure that he could call the police? Should he have? Maybe. Should he have beat the ever living shit out of him? Yeah, probably.

      I don’t know. Someone didn’t do something they should have. I think the University is sacrificing an 84 year old coach in the hopes that will make it okay.

  2. You’re assuming that Penn State has the exact same HR procedures that you do. I haven’t seen anything definitive about what Paterno was required to do or not do. He clearly wasn’t required to report it to the police, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to, and he certainly can’t get sued for it. The Board decided that he made a bad decision by not doing more, that his presence was a distraction and they fired him.

    I’m pretty surprised by your stance, since you’ve always been in favor of taking any measures necessary to go after criminals, so I’d expect you to be pretty pissed that Paterno was content to pass along a report and nothing more. Also, this is an employment matter: Paterno’s job required him to be effective at recruiting, and his presence is now judged to be a distraction that harms the university. Don’t you support the Board’s decision to fire its employee at their discretion?

    • You’re assuming that Penn State has the exact same HR procedures that you do.

      I am; you’re right.

      However, I work for an institution in many ways similar to Penn State in that it also is an institution. More than anything else, the survival of the institution is paramount. I’m willing to bet some amount of money that their HR policy is pretty close.

      He clearly wasn’t required to report it to the police, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to, and he certainly can’t get sued for it.

      Well, the more I reflect on this, I think that he should have forced that Grad student to call the cops; at the least. And then beat the shit out of Sandusky next. At the very least.

      The Board decided that he made a bad decision by not doing more, that his presence was a distraction and they fired him.

      I think his bad decision is less of a bad decision than many others. Granted, those folks are out too, however. As far as a distraction? I don’t think anyone was calling for his job. I didn’t see him as a distraction.

      I’m pretty surprised by your stance, since you’ve always been in favor of taking any measures necessary to go after criminals,

      More and more, so am I. I am willing to believe that Paterno effectively ran the athletic department. That if he wanted something to happen, it just did. As such, he may not be “officially” responsible, he may actually be.

      Don’t you support the Board’s decision to fire its employee at their discretion?

      I do support them in that they have that right. I may not support them in agreeing with it. A large part of me feels that the Board will feel “noble” by firing their deity coach and look better because of it. Right or wrong, they most certainly have the right to fire the man.

      • So you think you’re in their own right to fire him, but you disagree with the decision to fire someone who protected a child rapist?

      • So you think you’re in their own right to fire him

        I do. Remember, I think employers should be able to terminate someone as easily as someone is able to quit.

        you disagree with the decision to fire someone who protected a child rapist?

        You’re assuming the charge.

        I’m not convinced that Paterno protected the man. As I read more, learn more and think about this, I think that Paterno knew something long ago. I suspect that when Sandusck “resigned” in 99, he was forced out and probably for this activity. He should have been reported ad banned from campus. This second issue with the grad student—I think Paterno did what was required; he reported information that was given to him. At that time, Sandusky wasn’t an employee of Joe’s.

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