I must confess from the onset that I know nothing about college football - the sort of industry that exists in the US just doesn't compare to anything here in Canada.
That being said, I was more than a little disgusted, with much of the free world, at the way Penn State students took to the streets to protest the firing of beloved, and long-time football coach Joe Paterno.
Coaches are fired all of the time - generally for running a losing team. This was different. Paterno was fired for not acting aggressively when he was made aware that his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, was sexually assaulting young boys. Paterno knew in 2002 evidence existed that Sandusky had raped a young boy in the team locker room. Yes, Paterno went to the authorities. Surely to god he would have known that such behaviour was criminal and that Sandusky was still not charged or even under investigation! This allowed the pattern of behaviour to continue.
Educators - even football coaches - have an obligation to make sure the kids in their care . . . hell ALL kids, are free from harm. Here in Ontario failing to report abuse directly to the authorities is a criminal offence.
So Paterno was negligent. Last night he was fired.
Good. He should have been.
More than 2000 students took to the streets to protest his perceived 'poor' treatment.
“We got rowdy, and we got maced,” said Jeff Heim, 19, rubbing his red, teary eyes. “But make no mistake, the board started this riot by firing our coach. They tarnished a legend.”
Apparently failing to follow up appropriately with sexual abuse wasn't tarnish enough.
“It’s not fair,” said Mr. Muir, hurling a white ribbon. “The board is an embarrassment to our school and a disservice to the student population.”
It's an embarrassment that it took the board so long to fire Sandusky. The fact that a rapist was allowed to walk the halls of the schools and prey upon vulnerable children was far more of a black mark against the school!
I know that it is early days yet and far more about this story will play out but I can't help think about the victims. Where is their justice? No one seems to be worried about them - instead they riot over their fables football coach being fired.
It's a sad world we live in where a football coach is more important than those boys who had their lives destroyed by a man they trusted assaulting them.
Great rant. I agree 100%!
Posted by: Annie | November 11, 2011 at 01:45 PM
I went to a high school where athletics was everything. Most of the top athletes got scholarships to university where most of them flunked out because, in high school, they were never made to study. Having a winning team was everything.
Posted by: Kate | November 12, 2011 at 02:30 AM
I never cease to be amazed at how big football is in the US. There is nothing like it here in Canada - even hockey isn't the 'business' that football is in the US.
Posted by: JDeQ | November 13, 2011 at 07:29 AM