We have been following the Penn State scandal and the school’s possible culpability in the matter. Now the long-awaited Freeh report has been issued (a copy is below). The report is a damning indictment of the school which is found to have failed to protect the children in order to protect the school from embarrassment. This included “striking lack of empathy for child abuse victims by the most senior leaders of the University.”
Both former president Graham Spanier and former head football coach Joe Paterno are found to have “failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade.” Former university vice president Gary Schultz and ex-athletic director Tim Curley were also found to have failed to protect the children. These officials effectively facilitated the abuse by continuing to give Sandusky the means used for the abuse: “Indeed, that continued access provided Sandusky with the very currency that enabled him to attract his victims. Some coaches, administrators and football program staff members ignored the red flags of Sandusky’s behaviors and no one warned the public about him.” The board of trustees is also mentioned as failing its responsibility in the face of what Freeh found was active concealment of the crimes: “These men concealed Sandusky’s activities from the Board of Trustees, the University community and authorities. They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky’s victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child who Sandusky assaulted in the Lasch Building in 2001.”
Athletic director Tim Curley is found to have clearly revealed the alleged crimes to former head coach Joe Paterno but “they changed the plan and decided not to make a report to the authorities.” Indeed, while McQueary reported the assault to Paterno on Saturday, February 10, Paterno reported the incident to Curley and Schultz on Sunday, February 11 as Paterno did not “want to interfere with their weekends.”
Cynthia Baldwin, a former Board member and Chair, also is criticized as the school’s first general counsel. The report states that she failed to brief the board until such a briefing was demanded by a trustee and downplayed the significance for the school. She also failed to bring in someone experienced with criminal matters and opposed an independent investigation. Ironically, in the effort to avoid independent review and action, Baldwin contributed to a far worse result for her client.
The report will no doubt assist any lawsuit for negligence against the university. Penn State is a state university but may not be able to use sovereign immunity because it is not a member of the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education.
There is also the question of liability for the Second Mile organization. On March 19, 2001, Curley met with the executive director of the Second Mile and “shared the information we had with him.” The Second Mile leadership simply found the matter to be a “non‐incident” and took no further action.
It is a report that shows a consistent and disturbing series of failures in university and Second Mile officials taking the allegation seriously or taking meaningful action to protect these victims.
This is one of the areas where the threat of liability would be a good thing. There is no evidence of concern for the victims in this matter. What does come out of the report and earlier news account is a football culture that overwhelmed every other concern at the university. This has long been a concern among academics over the degree of reliance and identification of universities with their sports programs. The report describes Penn State as creating a “culture of reverence.”
Freeh notes “Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky’s child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State . . . The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized.”
Here is the report: freeh.report
Mike S, yes, I do get where you’re coming from, and I even get where others are coming from. But because I’m kind of a one-issue person and the Middle East has not been my issue, I haven’t studied it very deeply. We’d have real fun with the Israelis’ interpretation of the SYG laws, wouldn’t we?
Gene,
“When I write the entry for military use of propaganda, I’m seriously thinking about using that episode with the Israelis and the blockade from last year as one of the lynchpins of the article. Maybe that’ll provide an opportunity to air out some of those issues?”
I look forward to that and to the possibility of an in-depth discussion about the issues upon which Mike, bettykath, and Malisha have touched. As long as we stay clear of the overly-emotional buzz-words and maintain an intentionally high level of respect for each others’ views, there is much to be learned … and taught.
SwM,
Thank goodness you weren’t there last week!
OS,
I’m with you there.
Some of us gentiles get it, Mike, but yeah – it’s a hairy discussion. When I write the entry for military use of propaganda, I’m seriously thinking about using that episode with the Israelis and the blockade from last year as one of the lynchpins of the article. Maybe that’ll provide an opportunity to air out some of those issues?
Mike, I can say that I learned a long time ago you can love the person but have an intense dislike for their behavior. Speaking as one who is an Episcopalian and not a Jew, I do not have the insights that Jews do. On the other hand, I have the luxury of being a neutral observer. Being able to sort out behavior versus humanity affects how I feel about both Israel and the Palestinian people. Both groups have the same afflictions we have here in the USA: Politicians and military leaders who believe force is the only answer to everything, and “my way is the only way.”
I am reminded of the famous insight of Abraham Maslow, “When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”
Albert Ellis would have a field day analyzing the illogical thinking on both sides that divide.
There are OT discussions all the time. There are cross-references all the time. I don’t see any problem with that. Anybody who doesn’t want to join in any of the OT or cross-thread discussions (or even non-thread discussions) doesn’t have to.
Bettykath,
Israel is a difficult discussion that I’m loath to entrr into. I wound up on this blog years ago becsuse I was literally run out of Democrsts.com, where I had been commenting because they couldn’t believe I was a radical because I supported Israel. For Jews proud of their heritage and aware of their history, Israel plays an important role that non-Jews simply don’t and really can’t understand. For many of us it is the promise of survival, or the place where Jews will take their last stand. That being said there are many faults with Israel and its current administration. I agree though that I would rather not continue this discussion here. Malisha who is also a Jew and a radical gets where I’m coming from. I think though that both of us get why non-Jews might not get where we are coming from.
Mike S., I think a discussion on this topic would be beneficial but this isn’t the place for it. I respect your point of view. I’m not sure where our agreement might be. I think we would find one. But not here, not now – it’s been a long day.
Curious, yes, thanks, I agree.
When I hear about these things I generally weigh three factors:
(1) Do I have time to do enough studying and fact-checking and investigating to decide for myself what I think has happened?
(2) Am I accountable so that I HAVE to do it whether I have time or not?
and
(3) CAN I even do it, even if either numbers (1) and/or (2) above say I should try?
Then I either try to figure it out or don’t try to figure it out. More recently, I don’t.
Mike S, thanks for your comments, and “yeah, what Mike S said.” I would change one word (to two): “WWII proved conclusively that we can’t rely on anyone but each other.”
Bkouise, I am in DC now, and it has been reasonably cool this week…. low to mid eighties. The week before we got here it was in the 100’s and my daughter’s power was out.
Bettykath,
Far be it from me to deny conspiracy theories, because I believe in many. However, those people mentioned lining up to perform oral sex on the President tasks even my widespread suspicion. As for the “Zionist oppression of the Palestinians” and anti- Jewishness, when the situation in Israel is compared to the Shoah, then a line is crossed. As you may know I’m on record here as disliking both the Israeli government and AIPAC. However, as a Jew I am a Zionist, simply as a matter of my descendents survival. In every country in the past 2,000 years Jew have faced extinction. I’ m happy in the U.S., but with the power of Fundamentalist Christianity and the Mormon Church, there needs to be a fall back country for Jews. WWll proved conclusively that we can’t rely on anyone but ourselves
I’m holding my breath for the companion report on the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Too many votes at stake for the Justice Department to f_ _ k with that can of worms.
Then you’ll love his new book “”The Manufacturing of a President” by Wayne Madsen
An example of Madsen’s “journalism” and Obama’s weekly visits to Chicago’s premier gay bath house… I lost count of the number of politicians who have given Obama a blow-j**. Includes Mark Kirk, Rahm, Trent Lott, Bill Frist, some gay sex ring run by Jerimiah Wright.
http://atlah.org/2010/06/10/wayne-madsen-special-report-obama-and-emanuel-members-of-same-gay-bath-house-club-in-chicago/
Stark. Raving. Mad.
Swarthmore mom 1, July 13, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Wayne Madsen has been called out for being a “raging anti-semite”.
———————
There is a difference between being anti-semitic and being against the Zionists oppression of the Palestinians and their way out of balance influence in the US government. Madsen knows the difference.
Those who don’t like his reporting of abuse and malfeasance are sweeping with a wide brush to marginalize him. Sounds like it’s been effective. I’m surprised to see it here.
SwM,
Was D C hot enough for you?
A raging anti-semite would be a compliment for this vile man who makes his living spreading such smears. Unless, of course, he is just stark, raving mad.
Malisha,
Thanks for your reply. I agree that there are many, many sexually abused children. For some time I have believed that such abuse can occur in most any family and your idea is a good one that we could better deal with it if we didn’t go bats**t over it But I’m lost when it comes to these vast conspiracies and sex rings. Especially those involving politicians, the State Department, the CIA, and plane loads of kidnapped children Except, of course, with Irish orphanages. But if the highest levels of the Roman Catholic Church have been exposed, I don’t know why anyone would now be reluctant to reveal a sex ring of “powerful State College,PA” Second Mile donors. But I will keep your advice in mind that it cannot be ruled out until it is ruled out. But I need sources that are much, much more credible than the Washington Times and the Madsen Report.
Wayne Madsen has been called out for being a “raging anti-semite”.