Being from a small town in Pennsylvania about an hour and a half away from Penn State, the news of the scandal hit me and many others to the core with disgust and anger.
When the Penn State scandal broke and the University president was replaced, the new interim president stated that, in the future, Penn State would “not only do what is required under the law, we will do what is right.” It was thought that the members of the PSU athletic department did what they believed to be correct by their policy but it certainly left much to be desired as to what was morally right. Something should have been done to protect the child immediately and not just tell the superiors of the incident after the fact. Additionally, follow-up show have been conducted to ensure appropriate action was taking place.
The members of the athletic department (coaches) hold high political powers that potentially influence certain decisions regarding how situations are handled. Currently, the board will have to make some serious decisions regarding the future of not only the Penn State football program but the image of the entire university. These decisions may not be popular and will cause much controversy.
My reaction to the new PSU statement of “not only do what is required under the law, we will do what is right” is one of hope. I hope this scandal will make others realize that just following the policy or law is at times not enough. If we can’t protect ones that can’t protect themselves then what good are we as a society?
