I am very conflicted about this whole situation for Joe Paterno.
He informed his superiors, so he did the right thing there. Should he have gone to the police? I think so. But there is this to consider. There are a lot of scumbags out there, people who will use false accusations of sexual misconduct without a second thought if they think there is something in it for them. There are even people out there who will do it simply for malice, alone.
I understand the first type of person, I really do. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be punished if they are caught. They are complete scum. But the second type I do not understand, at all.
But I digress. Do you want to involve the police in a scandal that could ruin a man’s life about something of which you have no personal knowledge. It’s not like men get a fair shake in the legal system, anyway. Not about sexual matters, where it is well known that women and children don’t lie. Also, there are the scumbag prosecutors like the doomed-to-hell (one would hope) DA in the Duke case.
Joe reported it to his superiors, who should have investigated further. People are saying he had a moral failing, and maybe he did. Maybe he was even involved in a cover-up. Or maybe he just made an error in judgment. I don’t know, but until I do know, I’m willing to give him a little benefit of the doubt.
All that being said, of course, error in judgment or moral failing, he did fail in his job, and I think he had to go.
As I said, I’m conflicted about this.
For all his faults, at least Jerry Jones had the courage to meet Tom Landry face to face when he fired him.