Like many people, I am disgusted by the lack of disciplinary action by Penn State University over the Sandusky pedophile charges back in 1998. If something would have been done then, it could have saved nine other boys from having to go through similar traumatic experiences as the first boy did in 1998. It makes me wonder if Penn State ignored it to protect the image and financial wealth of the school.
Penn State is considered a well-regarded, all-around school for both academics and sports. Its football team has a successful record and brings in about $50 million in profits for the school each year. It’s no wonder Penn State would want to keep any football scandal under wraps.
In trying to keep the Sandusky allegations low profile in 1998 and then again in 2002, the Penn State administrators failed to see the long term impact and the psychological mindset of an alleged pedophile. If they did their homework, they’d probably know that a pedophile never stops at one child and sooner or later, a one or two time occurrence would turn into many more occurrences and the issue would come back and bite them.
So, bite them it did. They’ve turned what could have been a smaller, quieter matter to solve into a national media drama of bad publicity and a far greater financial loss in the near future (I’m projecting expensive lawsuit settlements).
I just wish that now the school would take a more drastic approach and fire the entire administrative staff involved in the initial investigations, to demonstrate how seriously they’re taking the entire issue. They can’t take back what has been done to these ten boys, but they sure can show that they care and value the well-being of the community. This could help save some of their negative image.
