Penn state football sex abuse scandal

From the Washington Post editorial linked above:
As an educator, I'm legally required to report any suspected case of sexual or physical abuse, neglect or abandonment of a minor to law enforcement authorities. As a human being, it's my belief that I'm morally obligated to do so, and I would extend it to the infirm, elderly, mentally handicapped and to animals. Not taking any action to protect the helpless is reprehensible and actually abetting criminal behavior.

Before anybody asks whether I would report a family member: I have; he was charged with reckless endangerment of a child. It doesn't matter whether the perpetrator is a complete stranger, co-worker, neighbor, acquaintance, friend or family member. The well-being of a child should always take priority. The Penn State cases described by the D.A. clearly illustrate what can happen when people fail to "get involved".

The whole thing is just horrible. Rick has been a die-hard Penn State fan pretty much since he learned to walk and he's sick about it. The Trustees were correct in firing Paterno and Spanier. But IMO, McCreary has to go, too. He actually, although I should say "allegedly",  saw Sandusky raping a child that night and he walked away. He walked away! Instead of calling 911, or better yet, "working" on Sandusky's head with a pipe (I'm sorry, but that's how I feel), he walked away. It is unfathomable to us how he could have done that. Why didn't he step in to save that child? How do you just walk away? It's disgusting.

 

And I find it difficult to believe that Paterno did not know what was going on. I cannot believe that.

One word can explain all of this: MONEY.

 

Universities have simply become professional sports leagues, where they can justify not paying the players a dime since they aren't a business but rather a school, regardless of the fact that education has been sidelined and school executives are rather well compensated to put it mildly.   When the average person even talks about a university, its not "oh I heard they have a great engineering program there", for the most part its "oh the Blue Devil's had a fantastic year last year" followed by even knowing the names of all the players and coaches.  

 

$2 billion in revenue, with Longhorns number one with massive revenues, $46.2 million dollars last year alone with $8 million in merchandise and $12 million just for premium seating, and the players don't get a cent even when their likeness is used in games by EA Sports (unlike say Tiger Woods that they have to pay millions to), making it oh so profitable.

 

http://video.forbes.com/fvn/sports/mo_yescollab091208

 

When you have such a tremendous cash cow, there is a almost insurmountable need to look the other way when star players or worse coaches are behaving inappropriately.  That person is no longer an individual, but represents tens of millions in revenue that the school and its staff are dependent on.  

Ah, but the football teams are the only reason small-town high schools exist. So that the boys can go to the state college and play there, of course. To fix it, you'd have to reform the entire school system and work up to the colleges, I think.

That certainly seems to have been the primary factor at play in this case, and others.
On Campus, a Law Enforcement System to Itself

Also, Penn State Puts McQueary on Leave

It would help if the laws already in place were enforced, but even without the threat of penalties people should be doing their part to protect victims.

Penn State sex abuse scandal: Why didn't anyone call the cops?

I think it's a disgusting offense to not call the police immediately. That being said, I disagree that Sports should be the first to be cut. Many students would never get to go to college if it were not for sports and their talent. In addition to that-much of college revenue comes from spectators spending to see sports. I love sports, especially football (any age, and any venue) but even a non sports lover can see how sports give a college an advantage or a non sports school. 

 

Everyone involved in the chain of information, that stood by and did nothing should be charged criminally. It's sad that Paterno did nothing, he's what made Penn State Football what it is, but he was criminally negligent as far as I'm concerned. 

Here's an attempt to explain why crime witnesses, in particular those at Penn State, may fail to take any action. It's somewhat interesting, but none of the explanations excuse their behavior..
Bystander Psychology: Why Some Witnesses to Crime Do Nothing