# Explain The Penn State Fiasco **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451 "2011-11-10T00:37:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/1 "2011-11-10T00:37:47Z")
The earliest news articles were written as if the reader knew what the heck was going on. This whole mess of child molestation at Penn State? Huh? Has this story been in the news before? If so, I do not recall it. But, it seems it must be an ongoing saga if those named are being accused of lying to protect the school, if not their own necks. But, last, why is Joe Patero gonna retire in light of all this when, as I understand it, he’s not even been accused? Can anyone make sense of this? All I can say is that it just goes to show that you shouldn’t get caught woth your pants down! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bartman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bartman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bartman)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/2 "2011-11-10T01:10:09Z")
The story broke Sunday and has absolutely dominated sporting news since then. The alleged basics are as follows. In 1998 assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was accused of child molestation. the investigation was handled quietly by campus police and no charges were brought. By 2002 Sandusky had retired but was a welcome figure on campus and even still had an office there. A graduate assistant caught him anally raping a 10 year old boy in the shower. They went to Paterno who reported it to the athletic director. Sandusky was barred from bringing children on campus, but no one ever reported anything to the police. At this point Sandusky has now been charged with a whole bunch of sex crimes on minors and several officials at Penn State have been charged with obstruction and failure to report the crimes. Paterno is not being charged… at least not yet, because he met his minimal reporting obligation by reporting it to the school. But a lot of people are calling for his head (quite reasonably IMHO) for not having called the police or following up to make sure someone had. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bb73d2/32.png) [@Evil\_Jon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Jon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/3 "2011-11-10T01:11:36Z")
One of his coaches allegedly abused a child in the locker room. Patero knew about it and reported it to the school but not the cops. The school did nothing, and Patero did nothing else. That’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/4 "2011-11-10T01:14:28Z")
The Penn State [student newspaper](http://www.collegian.psu.edu/) has a timeline based on the grand jury report. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/5 "2011-11-10T01:18:55Z")
Did Paterno know it was a young boy? I ask because when I first heard the story, and the first inklings of cover up, I just assumed they meant boy as in 18, 19, 20 year old. Something that was technically legal but certainly off putting. The distancing and slight cover up made sense. A ten year old, I’d be hard pressed to not shoot him, let alone tell the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/6 "2011-11-10T01:40:34Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Did Paterno know it was a young boy? > > I ask because when I first heard the story, and the first inklings of cover up, I just assumed they meant boy as in 18, 19, 20 year old. Something that was technically legal but certainly off putting. The distancing and slight cover up made sense. > > A ten year old, I’d be hard pressed to not shoot him, let alone tell the cops. I can’t imagine telling someone that you saw anal sex in the shower and leaving out that it was a child being raped. That’s like “Hey, I saw your boyfriend yesterday!” “Oh, ok, cool.” “By the way, he was killing your parents.” ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/7 "2011-11-10T03:13:23Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > The Penn State [student newspaper](http://www.collegian.psu.edu/) has a timeline based on the grand jury report. The headline on that site says [PENN STATE COACH PATERNO PLANS TO RETIRE AT END OF 2011 SEASON](http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/11/09/penn_state_coach_joe_paterno_plans_to_retire_at_end_of_2011_season.aspx) It says the 84-year old :eek: coach claimed that he “serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care.” The mind boggles. Anyone know if the student body is just taking this or are up in arms that he’s not leaving in shame tomorrow? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/8 "2011-11-10T03:35:43Z")
Update - Paterno and the PSU President have been fired, effective immediately. And the Feds (Dept. of Education) are now investigating PSU. Something about possibly failing to report crimes on campus. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/9 "2011-11-10T04:39:45Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > Has this story been in the news before? If so, I do not recall it. But, it seems it must be an ongoing saga if those named are being accused of lying to protect the school, if not their own necks. This story reminds me of [the Maple Leaf Gardens scandal](http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011176), which broke as a huge news story here in Canada in 1997. Same thing, guy preying on disadvantaged boys there for charity sports programs. You would _think_ that this sort of thing would blow wide open the moment anyone had even the slightest whiff of what was happening. Naturally! Who would cover such a thing up? But when you have such a huge disparity of power, it can go on for longer than seems possible, with more people knowing about it than seems plausible, before it gets to the point that people start getting charged. To give you an idea about how mind-bogglingly so this is, I would point you in the direction of Paul Quarrington’s [_King Leary_](http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385666015), a great novel about a senile old hockey player coming to terms with his past and himself. It contains a passing reference to rumours of boys being abused at the “Toronto Gardens” (home of the “Maple Leaves”) which would come to nothing because the victims were just poor boys. _King Leary_ was published in 1987 - fully ten years before the story broke publicly. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/10 "2011-11-10T05:06:27Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I can’t imagine telling someone that you saw anal sex in the shower and leaving out that it was a child being raped. > > That’s like “Hey, I saw your boyfriend yesterday!” “Oh, ok, cool.” “By the way, he was killing your parents.” I answered my own question I refuse to read the Grand Jury report but Mike & Mike mentioned that the incident was explained to Paterno using the term “young boy”. Throw them all in jail. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/11 "2011-11-10T05:12:48Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Did Paterno know it was a young boy? > > I ask because when I first heard the story, and the first inklings of cover up, I just assumed they meant boy as in 18, 19, 20 year old. Something that was technically legal but certainly off putting. The distancing and slight cover up made sense. > > A ten year old, I’d be hard pressed to not shoot him, let alone tell the cops. The guy who witnessed and reported it to Paterno and other higher ups says he reported a but who he estimated to be about 10 years old being anally raped. Paterno and the other higher ups say the report was more vague. The other two higher ups apparently at first denied ever hearing any report, and are now charged with perjury. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/12 "2011-11-10T05:28:44Z")
There are over 450 posts that thoroughly dissect the matter in the Pit. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=630580](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=630580) ---
**Author:** ![lexan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/73ab20/32.png) [@lexan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/13 "2011-11-10T05:53:01Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Anyone know if the student body is just taking this or are up in arms that he’s not leaving in shame tomorrow? On the contrary, most Penn State students and alumni are furious that he’s retiring. They’re acting like he’s the injured party in this affair. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/14 "2011-11-10T05:59:58Z")
> [@lexan](#): > > On the contrary, most Penn State students and alumni are furious that he’s retiring. They’re acting like he’s the injured party in this affair. Then they’re delusional. I realize that JoePa has been a superlative coach and, by all outward appearances, a good human being for his entire tenure at Penn State. He let a guy get away with raping a child–WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS AT ALL! He should indeed have been fired. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/15 "2011-11-10T12:20:20Z")
Wow! Today’s breaking news shows how one stupid act can bring down so many careers like a house of cards. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/16 "2011-11-10T12:30:06Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > Wow! Today’s breaking news shows how one stupid act can bring down so many careers like a house of cards. Which stupid act was that? Raping young boys? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/17 "2011-11-10T12:53:57Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Which stupid act was that? Raping young boys? Raping young boys can and should have brought down the career (and a whole lot more) of the rapist. Covering it up is what’s bringing down everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/18 "2011-11-10T12:54:47Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The guy who witnessed and reported it to Paterno and other higher ups says he reported a **but** who he estimated to be about 10 years old being anally raped. Paterno and the other higher ups say the report was more vague. The other two higher ups apparently at first denied ever hearing any report, and are now charged with perjury. Worst or best typo ever…you decide ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/19 "2011-11-10T13:37:06Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > Wow! Today’s breaking news shows how one stupid act can bring down so many careers like a house of cards. Every day that Paterno saw Sandusky on campus in the company of young boys was another act of negligence. It was not some one time mistake. Not to mention the fact that these were disadvantaged youths who were brought on campus for the purpose of making their lives a little bit better. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451/20 "2011-11-10T13:56:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Covering it up is what’s bringing down everyone else. Covering up for a serial rapist is not a stupid act. It’s gross negligence and moral bankruptcy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-penn-state-fiasco/602451.md?page=2)