The death of Joe Paterno has caused me to do a lot of contemplation regarding the importance of individuals as opposed to the values they stood for. Paterno was one of those rare individuals who could control a room full of people and play them like a flute. He was a complicated man in many ways yet strikingly simple in others. I suppose that is one of the reasons why I have found myself compelled to write this post for my blog.
I sometimes wonder how people living outside Pennsylvania feel about the tumultuous events of the past two months that have completely shaken the Pennsylvania State University and the highways and byways of our Commonwealth. To wrestle with it in its entirety one needs to understand the impact that Paterno and Penn State in general has upon our Community. I won't even attempt to explain it. Rather I shall only ask that you take my word for it.
With the passing of Joe Paterno comes the need for a consideration of what the nest steps will be. I am not referring to the legal steps. Those are out of our control and will proceed regardless of what anyone suggests. Instead, I am referring to the need to restore confidence in the University and enable healing to take place in the community. This is the monumental challenge that stands before the Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees and the schools Administration. Herein lies my concern.
Right now, I rather doubt any steps taken by the Trustees will bring about the desired end. The wound is too fresh; the pain too deep. Still, to do nothing only compounds the problem. There are a few steps that can and need to be taken. The full impact of these steps will not be appreciated in the present setting, perhaps, but can pave the way for a more viable future and eventually restore the integrity of this once-proud University.
And so, clothed in humility and acknowledging a severe lack of expertise in the world of Academia, I shall cautiously offer a few suggestions.
1. Complete the Purging Process.
I refuse at this point to argue whether the firing of Coach Paterno and President Graham Spanier was warranted or not. The issue is a done deal and irreversible. The more significant issue for me is that these two were not the "big fish" in the sea of scandal. They were the front men, perhaps. They represented the public face of the University. And clearly they bore their share of the burden, whatever that may have amounted to. By firing them the Trustees set forth a standard. They were making the statement, through their actions, that they will not tolerate a cover up; they will not turn a blind eye to the ugliness of the moment. I cannot fault them for that, certainly.
But if Paterno and Spanier bore responsibility, then so did others. So did Tim Curley, the Athletic Director and Paterno's superior to whom Paterno referred the matter. So did Gary Shultz, the Senior Vice President who was the head of Campus Security. So did Mike McQueary, the Graduate Assistant who was the only eye-witness to Sandusky's crime and the one who brought Paterno into the whole mess by reporting the incident to him. Yet for reasons I do not understand, these three individuals received only a tentative slap on the hand, thus far. Shultz was allowed to quietly retire and thus continue to receive all his salary benefits, while Curley and McQueary are simply placed on "Administrative Leave". All three have a much deeper level of involvement than Paterno or Spanier, yet they have not been fired like the other two. Why not? Why won't the Trustees address this apparent injustice?
There remains yet an even deeper level of concern for me, however. If the five men named above are deemed responsible to one degree or another for the safety and protection of the victimized children, then what about the Board of Trustees, themselves? Think about this for a moment. If the Trustees are sincere about sterilizing the public perception of Penn State University; if they truly seek to go beyond justice and restore - or create, as the case may be - a moral integrity of the highest order, then the cleansing must be complete. The question of morality was introduced into this drama by the Board itself when they claimed that Coach Paterno, while fulfilling his legal obligation by reporting the matter to his superior, Curley, failed in fulfilling his moral obligation by not following up on the matter later. It’s a strong argument, and anyone who works with people, especially children, should take heed and know that if a moral code has been violated and you become aware of it and report it to the proper authorities but fail to see any corrective steps taken, pursue it further!
The question is, does the Board of Trustees bear any moral obligation for what has taken place under their authoritative eyes? Do they bear any of the responsibility? It seems to me that a few resignations on the Board would be in order, starting with all the Executive Officers. If for no other reason the clumsy way they handled the firings and their lack of reprimand for the other three persons should warrant their own removal. In the process the message this would send to the public would be immense. They would declare, in effect, that they acknowledge their own shortcomings and are putting the University ahead of their own security in their desire to assure the public that Penn State will rebuild itself, its image, and the trust that is placed in it by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
If a purge was needed - and it was - let it be completed.
2. Institute Policies To Protect Against Any Similar Situation From Occurring.
At the very heart of the Sandusky case lies a very troubling question: Why was The Second Mile allowed to use University property and equipment? I don't understand why any outside group not affiliated with the college should be allowed to function routinely on campus. It is one thing for an organization to rent space for a Conference, for example, or even for a weekend sports tournament perhaps. In Sandusky's case, however, he and the young men he worked with were seemingly granted full rights and privileges to roam around campus and use the facilities and equipment intended for the students and staff. Remember by this point Sandusky was no longer staff, and these young men were not even old enough to be college students.
Therefore let the Board of Trustees implement policies that specifically state such activities will no longer be tolerated. Any person or organization desiring use of the Campus or its assets must enter into a contractual agreement with the Administration in which details of the arrangement are listed, register all participants in the event, pay an acceptable rental fee, and be responsible for those present. OK, I am not a lawyer and I likely am missing some detail here, but you get the picture. Let PSU make a valuable statement that they will not tolerate another offense like this one from sneaking past their watch. If such a policy is already in place then it clearly needs to be revisited and strengthened.
One thing few people outside of Pennsylvania may know is that Penn State operates a first-class Children's Hospital in Hershey, PA. It seems to me that it would be in the interests of all if the next medical research grant sought by the University would be used in some way to deal with the crisis of child abuse. Perhaps some sort of clinic could be established to support victims and their families. Educational tools and resources could be produced to offer support both in prevention of this horrible phenomena and to bring awareness to the help that is available after the fact. Maybe they could even study the psychology of predators to gain a greater understanding as to why they do such things and what might possibly be done to prevent its spread. If ever something good could come out of something bad this is certainly it.
3. Reconcile the Paterno Legacy.
This will by far be the most difficult challenge Penn State must address. There is no way to deny it: The Paterno Legacy runs deep, well past the shadow of Mount Nittany. Joseph Vincent Paterno made a lasting impression upon untold numbers of people in and out of sports. His commitment to "The Grand Experiment" which highlighted a merger of athletic and academic excellence, fashioned together with personal integrity and an over-riding commitment to community, must not be forgotten. Somehow, someway, the University now needs to embrace these ideals and secure them for future generations. And, it needs to do so without making a martyr out of JoePa. It is the ideals and values, after all, which need to be the focus. No one can question their worth, nor the urgency to promote them in today's culture. Can the essence of these values be embraced and their author be honored without allowing the Paterno Persona to take center stage? I sure hope so.
Personally I think it may be difficult to do as long as the Paterno Statue remains outside Beaver Stadium. I am sure I find myself in near isolation on this point, but to me that statue is like a golden idol, and just like most forms of idolatry it brings forth intense emotions: passionate loyalty and devotion on the part of some; scandal, hypocrisy, and the sanctioning of child abuse on the part of others. Every time a loyalist stands admiringly before the idol, an activist or a victim will cringe with disgust. The statue immortalizes the man rather than the ideals he stood for. It can only serve as a hindrance to healing.
Having said that I fully realize removal of the statue is not going to happen. The problem is it never should have been erected while JoePa was still coaching. Never jump to conclusions before you read the end of the book! The old coach's love of literature should have taught that lesson to the powers that be. Let other schools and institutions of every genre take heed.
Conclusion
I am remiss if I do not point out that the Board of Trustees have authorized their own investigation into these tragic events. The result of that investigation, along with any legal steps by civil authorities, remains to be seen. I pray it will be direct and to the point.
Some may ask why this is such an important issue. The answer lies in the last paragraph of Number 2 above. First and foremost this whole thing is about the victims of child abuse. Yes it involves an iconic sports figure. Yes, it also is about the University he loved and which dominates the academic life of Pennsylvania. But these things are peripheral to the alleged victims of Jerry Sandusky and the ever-growing number of similar victims everywhere they may be found.
Every scientific experiment seeks to reach a definitive conclusion. I'm thinking that the conclusion of Joe Paterno's "Great Experiment" is found here: that victims of abuse regardless of their age must always come first. In love we need to find a way to offer support and encouragement so lives can be rebuilt and healing, true healing of body, mind, and spirit, can take place. If that means dismissing responsible parties, so be it. If it means spending huge sums of money, fine. If it means removing the idols that cause us to have a blurred vision of truth, then by all means do it. Only then can we hope to achieve what JoePa called "Success With Honor".
Gdgehr, January 24, 2012
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