The Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal has cast a pall not only over Pennsylvania State University, but also over college football in general. Among those who have been ousted as a result of the scandal are former Penn State President Graham Spanier and, more famously, head football coach Joe Paterno.
Students at Penn State are not ready to let Paterno go without a fight. Following Paterno’s departure, students gathered in the streets around the campus, protesting the loss of their beloved coach.
According to Brittany Horn of the Daily Collegian, the protestors were calling for Spanier’s resignation instead.
This seems quite strange. Paterno was fired for covering up the scandal, in which one of his subordinates, Sandusky, allegedly molested eight young boys. Spanier’s crime was virtually identical ““ in fact, Paterno was closer to Sandusky than Spanier was. So why do the students believe that Penn State’s president should take the fall alone?
It may have something to do with Paterno’s induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Or his record-breaking 24 bowl wins. Or his 409 Division 1-A wins. Spanier’s greatest contributions to the university, on the other hand, include a ban on unmonitored online file sharing.
It all boils down to this: Paterno’s coaching career has made him invaluable in the world of college football. But should his success on the field make him untouchable off the field?
Nobody is above the law. Paterno’s prowess does not excuse him in the slightest. He made a mistake, and he is now suffering the consequences of that mistake ““ as he well should.
No matter how high a person’s pedestal may stand, it can still crumble under the weight of a single mistake.
Email Mirea at nmirea@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to opinion@media.ucla.edu.