A Note on the Sandusky Situation
November 7, 2011 at 8:23 pm Tina Hay 15 comments
Those of us on the magazine staff—and most likely anyone who attended, works for, or in any way cares about Penn State—were stunned and saddened to hear the news involving charges of child sexual assault against former football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky ’66, ’71g, as well as charges of perjury and failure-to-report against athletic director Tim Curley ’76, ’78g and vice president Gary Schultz ’71, ’75g.
Like so many others, I find the story to be distressing on so many levels. The allegations alone are disturbing, to say the least. It’s also upsetting to see the things that are being said in the media and on the Internet about my alma mater—an institution that I’ve been a part of for more than 30 years now. It’s a rough time to be a Penn Stater.
On the other hand, I think it’s useful to remember that this is just the beginning of a long process, one that will allow the defendants their day in court. A grand jury presents only the prosecution’s side of the story. And none of us has all the facts. So I’m thinking it’s best not to get caught up in the hysteria and judging that’s going on non-stop on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.
Sportswriter David Jones of the Harrisburg Patriot-News, who is never shy about criticizing Penn State when he thinks it’s warranted, had an interesting piece yesterday about the usefulness of not looking at the world in pure black and white, good-guys-and-bad-guys terms. You might want to check it out.
In addition, the Alumni Association’s official statement on the situation can be found on the Association’s Facebook page.
A challenge for those of us on The Penn Stater staff is how to cover this story in the magazine. Our next issue is the Jan.-Feb. one, to be mailed just after Christmas. Obviously we feel strongly that we need to report on the news, but how do we do that without simply rehashing what our readers already know from the media? What might we offer readers that’s different from what they’re getting elsewhere? And, given the fast-evolving events, will whatever story or stories we send to the printer in early December still hold up by the time the magazine is mailed a few weeks later—or will they look hopelessly dated?
We’ll be wrangling with these questions over the next few weeks. Like you, we’ll be following the news developments with interest, and we’ll also try to call your attention to information that you may or may not have seen elsewhere.
In the meantime, the work of the University goes on, and we don’t want to ignore that. More than 90,000 students are taking classes here. The women’s field hockey team won the Big Ten championship yesterday. A spectacular production of the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me, Kate opened last week in the Playhouse Theatre. And our senior editor Ryan Jones ’94 has been driving around for a week in an all-electric Chevy Volt, lent to him as part of a story he’s doing on Penn State’s Center for Sustainability.
The Chevy Volt thing is pretty interesting. Ryan is planning to blog about it a bit tomorrow. So check back then.
Tina Hay, editor
Entry filed under: Campus events, Campus issues, Controversy, Penn State football, Penn State football fans, Penn State in the news, Sandusky scandal. Tags: Gary Schultz, Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley.
Subscribe
1. Bruce Rhine | November 7, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Hey Tina,
At least put Spanier, Paterno and McQueary on administrative leave pending an investigation.
B. Rhine ’79 Chem E ’82 MBA
2. Joe Henry | November 7, 2011 at 11:28 pm
Bruce – the grand jury report was pretty clear that McQueary acted promptly and appropriatly and so did Paterno. Their responsibility was to report what they knew, they were not responsible for investigating the allegations. In fact, it would be pretty inappropriate for Paterno to be involved in an investigation
3. richard | November 8, 2011 at 8:38 am
Sad, sad situation. And The Media Beast must be fed–many national media who wouldn’t know State College from College Station will be pontificating profusely on matters of which they know little–but they must be fed.
Good luck to media people at PSU.
4. Barry | November 8, 2011 at 9:06 am
Dear Penn Stater Editor-This is not the time for a lecture from you on “the usefulness of not looking at the world in pure black and white.”
Don’t you have any children? Or are they all daughters? The allegations aren’t “disturbing”–they’re disgusting. This PSU administration has a history of coddling perversity, and I fully expect the staff to circle the wagons and try to ride it out. Don’t play the role of an enabler–ask some tough questions instead. That’s what caring alumni (and good journalists) do.
5. Bob K | November 8, 2011 at 10:23 am
Barry: Please provide facts relating to your assertion that this PSU administration has a history of coddling perversity. Tina wasn’t lecturing, she was offering her opinion, which is also what journalists do. One doesn’t have to have children, boys or girls, to understand the severity of the charges. I think she’s arguing against a rush to judgement, which will happen anyway by many and has in the past ruined many lives of good people. The former Duke lacrosse coach could speak about that.
6. anonymous | November 8, 2011 at 11:05 am
I think what we as alumni need the Penn Stater to cover is something relating to the story, but not the story itself. Do we have any Penn Stater’s that are coming up with new therapeutic treatments for children who have gone through child abuse? Do we have any Penn Stater’s who have founded organizations that advocate for child abuse? Do we have any Penn Stater’s who are studying how to identify if an individual is at risk of becoming sexual deviant? Do we have any Penn Stater’s conducting research on identifying the signs of sexual abuse? If there is any way we can show that Penn State is more than this case, and that we have an opportunity to learn something from this situation, that is the route I would take. We as Penn Stater’s are better than this horrible incident, and we desperately need to read that right now.
7. Crystal | November 8, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Anon, here’s something that the Law School and Medical School collaborated on recently, fitting that description. http://lookoutforchildabuse.org/
8. Denise | November 8, 2011 at 5:05 pm
I am Proud to be a Penn Stater ’93 & will continue to be PROUD even when all of the dust around this scandal settles…. I am saddened by the accusations, and feel sick that this is happening at my ALMA Mater… What I learned at Penn State, the friendships I made & have sustained 20 years after graduating, will not be shaken by this scandal. My husband (’93) & I will continue to share our Pride in being Penn Staters with our 2 children, both boys (13 & 8 respectively). We will continue to cheer on our Nittany Lions on game day, with PRIDE. I will not let this scandal tarnish what I know is PENN STATE. Only Alumni understand what the words “WE ARE PENN STATE” really means.. Truth be told, it is not 1 man who defines that for me.
I have already shared the reports of what happened with my 13 year old son. The terrible reality of life. I am using this as an opportunity to have an open discussion on what can happen even with people we know & trust.
In addition, I have personally volunteered at fundraising events with the Second Mile, and while I am outraged at Jerry Sandusky, and what he may have done to those boys, I hope that the Charity Work & Personal dedication of so many people to the Second Mile continues to be appreciated by the many beneficiaries of the Organization.
9. Barry | November 8, 2011 at 5:28 pm
Sorry, Bob. It’s not my role to substantiate every media report. There are plenty. http://www.freep.com/article/20111106/NEWS07/111060648/Jerry-Sandusky-former-Penn-State-coach-accused-molesting-boys-barred-from-campus . But if you’d like to start looking for the PSU admin paper trail on perversity, start with the 2002 Spanier response (or lack thereof) to one of Sandusky’s assaults and go from there…. http://articles.mcall.com/2011-11-07/sports/mc-spanier-1107-20111107_1_penn-state-petitions-joe-paterno . It looks like the PSU strategy is going to be to offer Curley and Schultz as scapegoats. Probably Curley was in too deep to ‘save,’ and Schultz is practically retired anyway. But if the DA does her job well, she might discover a few more bugs under this rock, including the AWOL PSU president… I sincerely hope that the folks involved come clean and do the right thing-and in a timely fashion.
10. Mike g | November 8, 2011 at 9:21 pm
Editor Hay-
You’re right about not getting caught up in the hysteria and judgments. We MUST stay focused on the legal procedure and result. After the fair, impartial and truthful trial is concluded, the persons involved will be processed accordingly.
M. G.
PSU ’92
11. Mike g | November 8, 2011 at 9:33 pm
(finishing here, wasn’t sure about the posting methods)
It is essential to remain rationally neutral until the trial presents it’s results. The indictments and investigation statements have information but we can not become irrational, we must remain steady with iron expectations of truthful justice being served, whatever the fate of those involved. After the legal findings, if there are moral failures on anyones part, it will be expected that they will handle those in an honorable way. There is no other way for Penn State to continue on after this.
The above post by “anonymous” has beneficial recommendations for caring for the abused. The caring and support for these persons is wholly expected and Penn State should lead there also.
M.G. PSU ’92
12. Raymond Moser 66-69 | November 8, 2011 at 9:55 pm
No lecturing about the gray of life (no black & white in pedophilia). Fire Joe PA and everyone involved in this hush-up/cover-up. Innocent child victims, not the football team and the administration. Let’s get on with the future of a morally grounded Penn State U. Anything less is an indictment of all alums.
13. Raymond Moser 66-69 | November 8, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Shame on The Penn Stater staff and any alum who share their orientation to support power and mindless ego over innocent, sexually abused children. Why are your moral priorities so distorted?
14. Matt Graybill | November 8, 2011 at 10:37 pm
I like Denise am a proud PSU grad (77). I want very much to be able to still say that after this whole episode is finished. How the university handles it will have no small impact on that. I want to be PENN STATE PROUD of our process and our transparency. So far we have been too many steps behind. It just does not feel right. These issues have been out there for too long. University police knowledgable, administration, etc. In a case of child sexual abuse (and I am an administrator at a children’s hospital) there in no waiting, no “let the legal process go forward”, no hoping what you heard is not what you really heard. We all have a moral, ethical, HUMAN obligation to investigate ANY report to our utmost ability WHEN WE FIRST HEAR OF IT. Here we have fallen very short and children may have paid the consequences, no matter about the university. I love Joe. This physically hurts me…perhaps one oversight/lack of attention and follow through may well cost this good man his legacy. I fear we all have already lost the high ground on this permanently. What actually happened may be known in months or years when the legal process is ultimately done with trials, verdicts, appeals, etc. I would like to think that still mattered, but in the court of public opinion the verdict is in.
15. The Best of The Penn Stater Blog, 2011 « The Penn Stater Magazine | January 10, 2012 at 11:01 am
[...] 4. “A Note on the Sandusky Scandal” [...]