By Breanna Jacobs
As a Penn State student, I am deeply saddened by the scandal that has been shaking our community to its core.
It is a somber time to be walking the University Park campus; silence has settled over this place like a blanket and the cold, cloudy weather mirrors the emotions that many of us are having at this time.
When the Grand Jury report was released, detailing all the reprehensible behavior Jerry Sandusky was involved with, I thought I might be physically sick. I am disgusted that he took the innocence away from young children and I grieve for the victims and their families.
The whole Penn State community grieves for the victims, even though the mainstream media may have you believing otherwise.
We have seldom heard Sandusky’s name the past few days. We have seldom heard Tim Curley’s name, or Gary Schultz’s name.
Curley and Schultz hid what they knew, and let a sexual predator roam free for years. It is beyond belief that Curley is still on the university’s payroll and I cannot help but wonder how many innocent children could have been saved from the reckless hands of Sandusky had these men come forward.
Graham Spanier, former university president, has been fired by the Board of Trustees. I cannot say that I disagree with this decision, as it seemed impossible for him to stay in office after the way he handled the breaking of this scandal, or rather the way he didn’t handle it.
Spanier, although not charged, also knew of incidents on this campus that Sandusky was involved with. He chose to remain silent, to let Sandusky continue on with his sick behavior. We have rarely heard Spanier’s name until he was ousted by the board.
Media vans have been circling this school, like vultures stalking their prey. They have been camped out at the Bryce Jordan Center and Beaver Stadium for days, harassing students, football players and anyone who seems willing to have a microphone shoved in their face.
As a journalism student, I am absolutely appalled at the way the media has covered this scandal. Instead of focusing on the bigger issue, the media has crucified an innocent man, a man that gave 61 years to this school.
That man, of course, is Joe Paterno.
Paterno’s name has been dragged through the media mud and I fear that his legacy at this school will forever be marred.
From a legal standpoint, Paterno did all that he was required to do. From a moral standpoint, he admitted that he could have done more, that he should have done more, but at this point, it is impossible to change the past.
He announced Wednesday morning in a statement that he planned to retire at the end of the current season, and I cannot even begin to describe the emotion I was feeling when I read the statement, and then heard it over and over again on ESPN throughout the day.
As Wednesday progressed, murmurings of Paterno’s impending fate swept through campus and the social media world. And as the Board of Trustees began their press conference later that night, we all knew that what was about to happen would forever be etched into the history of Penn State.
As I sat in my dorm room, listening to what board member John P. Surma was saying, I am not ashamed to admit that tears were rolling down my face. Surma admitted that the board did not know all the facts surrounding this case, but that either way, Paterno needed to go.
At this point, anger swept over me, as it did with just about every student on campus.
Paterno, the winningest coach in college football history, who spent 46 years as the head football coach here, deserved the respect to finish out the season. He deserved the respect to coach his last football game in Beaver Stadium this weekend.
Paterno was more than just a football coach; he has done more for this school than just about anyone. He has spent more than half his life here, changing the lives of everyone who walks through the gates at Beaver Stadium.
And I am not the only one that feels Paterno deserved more respect.
Last night, students rallied downtown on Beaver Avenue. Many held up, “We Love JoePa,” signs and chants of, “We are Penn State,” echoed for hours.
I am ashamed at the actions of some of my fellow students, who turned a peaceful protest into a riot and who blatantly disregarded the line in the Alma Mater that says, “May no act of ours bring shame,” but I understand where their passion and anger comes from. We are all overwhelmed with emotion, and I know that it is hard for people outside of this campus to fully understand.
Paterno will always hold a special place in the hearts of Penn State students and alumni. It is sickening that this is the way Paterno’s legendary and iconic career is ending. It is truly a shame.
But regardless of all this, I refuse to be ashamed of my school.
I have been asked countless times this week how I can ignore Sandusky’s acts, how I can stand behind Paterno and how I can still hold my school in such high regard.
I will never be ashamed of this school, and this is why:
I go to a school that offers its students some of the best educational and career opportunities in the country.
I go to a school that has the largest alumni network in the entire world.
I go to a school where I am surrounded by not only brilliant professors, but brilliant students.
I go to a school that fosters my love of learning.
I go to a school that has raised millions of dollars to help cure pediatric cancer.
I go to a school that I love and I cannot imagine being anywhere else.
A few men do not make a university, and I urge you to remember that as you see the continued coverage by the media. I also urge you to refrain from making jokes about this school or this situation.
I ask that you support the football team this weekend, who found out about all this just like the rest of us. They have worked incredibly hard this season, and I sincerely hope that Beaver Stadium is as loud as always this Saturday against Nebraska.
It is a tough time for everyone, and I ask that you please respect that because we are, and we will forever be, Penn State.
Excellent post, Breanna. It honestly helps me heal a little.
My thoughts aren’t much different from yours, so I’ll piece together a few things I’ve written in recent days on the subject.
This situation is the most devastating heartbreak I’ve ever experienced as a sports fan, as it goes far beyond being a fan. It has to do with being a Penn Stater and being proud of what that means.
I was quick to encourage others to not pass judgment too swiftly, to wait until we’d heard all the facts. But, I’m starting to feel that I was just trying to hang on to a shred of hope that there was more to this story than met the eye. That still may happen, but my hope is dwindling.
I still feel that, while maybe Paterno does deserve to be fired over this, the public perception of those who are essentially calling him a child abuse enabler is so blown out of proportion and unfair. Maybe he’s a coward, maybe he’s not as righteous as we thought, or maybe he’s just not as smart as we believed, but I’m maintaining my belief that he wasn’t part of a coverup. If I find out I’m wrong at a later date, I’ll be just as outraged as everyone else. I just don’t feel that it’s necessary to rush to judgment.
Maybe the Penn State Board of Trustees felt like they had to act swiftly to keep this situation from spiraling out of control, and I suppose that’s fine, but I still feel Paterno’s been unfairly cast as a villain.
This is the end of an era, but unfortunately it’s not going to be the joyous, special occasion I always imagined it would be. I guess that’s just the way it goes.
For further healing, or just if you’re a fan of great writing, I recommend the following (but have some tissues handy): https://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7205085/growing-penn-state
For the Glory,
Dan “Chas” McCloskey
Penn State Class of 1989
Interesting point of view, Breanna, but you shouldn’t assume that everyone has a different view of Penn State. I don’t see this as a reflection of the school as you might suggest, and I won’t crack wise (although “Nittany Liar” does roll off the tongue real easy). I think this points to the darker aspects of college sports, and a good ol’ boy network behind the scenes. We’ve all seen events where a star or lesser player gets a bunch of perks he shouldn’t have, there’s a little media frenzy, and then that’s that. It’s one thing if the quarterback gets a Corvette, or free sneakers, or whatever, it happens all the time, and for the most part, people tend to look the other way when it happens, with a kind of acknowledgement that it happens all the time, star players get star treatment and all, and so on.
This case, at least form the facts we know up in these parts, is about as far away as you can get from free sneakers. Your loyalty to your school is understandable, and I’m not questioning that at all. But what this case involves is an act perhaps worse than murder. I don’t want to sound like an old crank (which is next to impossible anyway), but your perspective will be completely different once you are a parent. Seen through those eyes, the focus is completely different, and the case quite different.
Did Paterno deserve to be fired? I’d say anyone with knowledge of the incident who didn’t go to the trouble of dialing 911 should be looking for work. I can envision a scenario where Paterno is told what happened, and asked Sandusky about it, which he would naturally deny, and Paterno pass the buck to his superiors, thinking perhaps it was a mistake, but it’s not his job, he thought he did the right thing. End of story, since nothing happens for years.
But who knows. I do know 9 or 10 year old kids really don’t have the defenses to deal with an abuser. And Paterno isn’t necessarily a villain, but he failed to do the right thing. As did a lot of people. This isn’t about sports anyway; it’s about morality, about ethics, about the law.
Yes, I do agree that the people that knew should have done more than they did.
However, at the time Gary Schultz was informed of the situation by Paterno, he oversaw university police.
University Park is its own city, with its own zip code, therefore anything that happens on this campus is under the jurisdiction of university police, and not the State College police.
The media has yet to report that.
As a fellow prospective member of the media, I find it very troubling that you think so lowly of your potential future colleagues. We live in a 24 hour news media world, and I would have thought you knew that better than anyone. Why don’t you go down to beaver stadium and tell Tom rinaldi how much of a “vulture” he is?
I understand that this is a 24 hour news media world and I understand how important it is to get a story, especially one like this.
However, maybe I should rephrase: I am disappointed with the media’s focus in this case.
I understand how iconic Paterno is and that it’s a good story, but I fear that some media outlets have completely disregarded what Sandusky did. I’ve barely heard his name at all in the past few days.
I also am disappointed at the lack of facts the media seems to have. Some outlets have done an incredible job covering this, but some have been sloppy, jumping on any rumor and reporting it right away.
As journalists, we owe it to the public to seek the truth, a principle that is listed in the SPJ’s Code of Ethics.
I am proud to be joining this profession and I am looking forward to spending my life pursuing something I love, but I think in this situation, the media has gotten out of hand and has completely lost focus of what the bigger issue is.
But let’s also remember, this is an opinion piece and just because I am disturbed at the way this particular situation has been handled, does not mean I do not admire the people who have paved the way for us, and who are currently doing what they can to bring the news to the public.
Excellent article Breanna. I appreciate the insight you are giving us from University Park.
I admit that I tried to read the Grand Jury report the other day, and didn’t quite make it through. The whole situation made me sick, and above all – sad for the victims.
You are completely correct in that way too much of the focus has been about Joe Paterno. It is not often that the words institution and a human being are used in the same sentence. But that is what Joe Paterno is. Which probably explains the spotlight being on him.
But as I read the report, I was shocked at what Curley and Schultz knew and chose to do nothing. The head of University police has that report and does nothing? Now there are reports of allegations against Sandusky in 1998, but the DA decided there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him with a crime. Also explains the sudden retirement in 1999. I think he was asked to leave, but why was he allowed back on campus – ever?
I have had time to think about it, and I think Paterno’s firing was the correct thing to do. Paterno long has set the bar for excellence and doing things the right way. But in this situation, Paterno failed to meet his own level of expectations, and for the firing was the right thing to do.
But again even the focus in my posting is on Paterno. Breanna, like you said the real villian is Sandusky. In reading the report, it was apparent that he was a predator and he preyed upon the innocence of children. That is reprehensible. Curley and Schultz enabled him, when he should have been expelled from the campus and reported to the police. Oh wait, Schultz was head of the police.
But for all of those that are on their pedestal and condemning Paterno. It is certainly easy to say you would do the right thing. But until you are in the situation, you don’t know how you will react. How many times have people seen their buddy have one too many at the bar, and yet allow him/her to drive home? How many have witnessed someone be verbally abusive to a love one, and not say anything?
In the end this is sad. I grieve for the victims. I feel for everyone associated with Penn State. I feel for Joe Paterno. I understand that students are going to wear blue on Saturday to honor the victims. I think that is a fantastic thing, and I hope that on Saturday – the healing can begin for a lot of people.
Breanna–I am very proud of my niece, and your speaking out on this issue. I admire your pride in your University, and that is as it should be.
I do wonder if people aren’t looking at these coaches and administrators as objects of our perception of the sports world, and not as human beings. How long did Paterno and Sandusky coach together? How many late nights at the office putting together the game plan? How many stressful moments on the field and off as PSU worked for another victory? Go back and look at JoePa’s battles with racism, with the difficulties of the Vietnam era and all the other issues that have come his way in 46 years; how many of those were faced with Sandusky with him all the way? I know that there are people I have taught with over the past 15 years that I would never believe such a story about.
I wonder if JoePa reported the incident to his superiors, hoping that it wouldn’t be true. ( and we still don’t know if it is) I don’t feel tha at that point it was Joe’s responsibility to investigate.
Keep up the awesome writing!
Uncle Andy
24-hour news cycle? That’s cute. The 24-hour news cycle often is just repetitive news over and over with dangerous, and often patently false, information in between. I agree with Ms. Jacobs when she says that the media, or at least a large part of it, acted like vultures.
It’s unsurprising that when you demonize a community in school they might be a little angry at you back. That’s why we saw the flipped news vans and various derogatory media chants.
Brianna, the problem with your writing is that it makes too much sense. Like Joe Posnaski said to a class at Penn State today, the news cycles on anger and who can report more LOUDLY and ANGRILY and FIRSTLY, but not necessarily factually. Regardless, excellent article!
You are going to fit right in at FOX News.
If anyone’s looking for more info into the Sandusky case, here’s an article I wrote for the student run radio station, ComRadio: https://psucomradio.com/stories/Latest-on-Charges-in-Jerry-Sandusky-Case,3723
Breanna, I’m curious if anyone knows how the grand jury found out about the incident that McQuery witnessed. Since the child involved is unknown, and the grand jury investigation stems from a completely different incident, someone would have had to come forward once they learned of the grand jury investigation.
I suspect it’s McQuery himself, and that may be why they can’t fire him, based on whistle-blower laws…although as heinous an act as he witnessed, given his position at the time, I don’t know if there are grounds for termination anyway, since he did notify his superior.
To be honest with you, I am not sure how they found out about the incident McQueary witnessed.
In their testimony, Paterno, Curley and Schultz talked about the incident, but I imagine McQueary had been talked to as well at some point.
I will let you know once I find out.
As far as his position goes, he won’t be coaching Saturday because he has received threats and it has been alluded to that they will get rid of the entire football staff at the end of the season and start fresh.
Here’s an interesting article about McQueary from ESPN: https://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7219659/penn-state-assistant-coach-whistleblower-protection-reporting-sandusky-alleged-incident
And the developments keep on coming: It was just announced that MCQueary has been placed on administrative leave by interim university preisdent Rodney Erickson and A.D. Mark Sherburne.