Who Overreacted in Penn State?

Based on the fact that the students rioted I would have to say them. I understand they were frustrated but the firing of the coach and the president seem right in line with general policies on programs and responsibilities. I am sure there will be even more fall-out as this progresses. Sad.

the students, for sure.

The students who participated in this riot should be embaressed. Joe Paterno is THE leader of that football "program". That this abuse was going on right under his nose without his knowledge is inconceivable to me. We know he was informed of at least one "incident" (rape). Paterno was fired with good cause. I think he's a criminal - just one degree less than the child rapist he protected.

They've already said they're NOT going to fire McQueary, the ONLY one who could have done anything about this from the get go. They're just placing him on paid leave.

Joe didn't witness anything personally, so, him running to the cops, not an option.
The administrator he reported this to should have followed through on the report and ensured that something got done about it. THAT is very much his job. Unfortunately, he chose not to. Joe's job isn't holding someone's hand, following through on some pencil pusher, it's to COACH football.

Joe gets thrown under the bus, while they let the person who saw the thing and didn't do JACK about it go free. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.

This is a serious freaking issue. There is no excuse for rapeing and molesting inncoent chilldren, or turning a blind eye to it. People need to see this and realize that it will not be tolerated.

Paterno didn't 'turn a blind eye' to anything here. The only one that DID was McQueary.

He was notified the next morning about this
The following day (a Sunday), he called the appropriate individuals for an internal investigation. Since HE didn't witness this personally, he could not call the police and say "so and so said he saw so and so in the shower with a boy who appeared to be 10 years old". Yeah, that doesn't work.

Now, he should have sent McQueary to the police as well, but, really, that was the only thing he did wrong. Rumors, conjecture, hearsay, they all have no place in the police business.

That is BS. Anyone can initiate an investigation.you do not have to be rhe whitness. The detectives will sort it out. The man was a monster rapeing children. People say hey I heard that so and so was the one that killed John doe and they interview th and investigate them all the time. 2nd hand testimony can't be used in court, but sure can help in an investigation or ongoing crime. Make all the excises you want but it os completely unacceptable to normal people. By the way, why are you so defensive? Got some skeletons in your closet?

Riiiiiight, let's just everyone go to our local police stations with every little trivial rumor that we hear, and see just how quickly they get overloaded with work.
FEDERAL GUIDELINES require that the issue is handed off for investigation internally, and THEN if something is found it's handed over to the police. Look up the mandated reporter guidelines, educate then post.

The appropriate authorities would be the police. He has a responsibility as a human being to see to it that children are not abused right in front of him. Your mentality is sickening really.

If these punk kids had a family member who had been molested they might change their tunes!

It's a sad state of affairs when Football is the religion and the winningest coach is the God.The mentality is just pathetic.

Anyone who knew about Sandusky should be fired. The ones who saw it happened should be charged for not stopping it. The school directors who knew should be fired and charged for not stopping it. But the only thing they were worried about was money and the way the school would look if it came out.

idiots...just goes to show you that you can rape little boys and still be a "hero"...

Like Micheal JAckson?

You don't know what you're talking about...

A boy, about 10, was invited in 1994 to numerous events and sleepovers at Sandusky’s. After a couple of years, Sandusky began putting his hand on the boy’s thigh while they were driving and on at least one occasion put his hands down the boy’s pants, though never touching his genitals. Sandusky bear-hugged him, cracked his back and shared showers.
Didnt Micheal have sleepovers?

MJ helped kids with his $$$$. Doesn't mean he molested them. Everything you read about the allegations that were made about him are false. All you have to do is research it more. The kid who claimed MJ molested him is in his 20's now and the father of that same kid is now dead, and the kid said MJ never touched him (he lied for his father). Karma is a bitch, the guys dead for a reason (liar) and the second case he was acquitted. So I don't see the comparison. I really don't think an "A" sexual person was into molesting young boys. Why isn't there a bunch coming forward if that was the case. They were driven by greed against a venerable person.

first, michael jackson was found innocent, and second, he was not a priest.

Any man that has little boys come to his home and stay the weekend and sleep in the bed with them ( when they are not the own kids) has something wrong them. Doesnt this sound like Sandusky? He reportedly did the same thing. The only way Micheal got found not guilty was money talks and bul@@hit walks....

Okay, what about the "parents" that let their kids stay over at MJ's?? If they didn't think there was anything wrong with it, then why should you?

And secondly...if you listened to anything MJ ever said, he said he let them sleep in the bed and he slept on the floor (the kids asked for MJ to sleep next to them) think about it, if you were a little kid and you had one of your idols sleeping next to you, you would be on cloud nine. We are talking about "little" kids loving their idol. Nothing wrong with that.

People need to stop making hero's and ideals out of every tom, dick and harry that
comes along, there are many wolves out their and we need to acknowlege that fact
and stop with the Oh, He is Mr, Or Mrs. Wonderful.

"Children are our future..."

The administration, coaches and staff "under-reacted" in this situation~~!!

They need to help STOP ABUSE AND RAPE

Nice unbiased answers lol, but he is as bad as the Pope by not reporting to the authorities. By not reporting he is condoning what happened

These people are guilty of hiding a crime. They belong in jail!

maybe the coach deserved to be fired, maybe he didn't...but stop with the violence as a reaction to it

Joe Pa' should have called the guy out a long time ago. He put the program and his buddies ahead of the law and morality, and in the end he lost it all. He dragged the students down with him and probably allowed more kids to get abused. We need to have pillars of the community, people we hold on pedestals, but we can't pick them based on W-L records. The students in Penn State disgraced the victims by rioting, overturning a news van (a symbol of truth in America), and shouting "We want Joe!" The students made Penn State look like a morally empty campus where I would not want my kids to attend.

Well said! I could not agree more.

When you do damage you have over reacted and when sexual abuse is involved and your are protecting that person shame on you.

They all did.

:?

If Joe Paterno knew about this, he should have totally evicerated Sandusky at all costs.

The students have the right to protest the decision but, not violently like it has been. I saw a picture of one of those huge street lights being pushed over, that isn't peaceful anymore

I'd go as far to say they have a more legit gripe to burn stuff than those OWS idiots do. I am not saying they should but this is more understandable.

Firing Paterno was an absolutely sick thing to do and they should all be ashamed of themselves.

This guy has it right:

By his inaction and turning a blind eye who knows how many young boys were raped