The Sandusky Scandal: A Case of Misplaced Idolization

JIMMY TANG
Copy Editor

The relationship between coaches and their players is one of mutual respect. Coaches respect their players’ wishes and players respect their coaches as mentors and adults. As an athlete, I have become familiar with this type of relationship, and it is for that reason that the recent sexual harassment scandal at Pennsylvania State University makes me question whether some athletic coaches are being given too much freedom as a sign of respect.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the incident, here’s a brief description: a former Penn State football coach, Jerry Sandusky is accused of “inappropriately touching” underage boys in The Second Mile, a youth organization Sandusky founded in 1977. Several of his colleagues allegedly witnessed these incidents but didn’t report it; citizens were outraged and some staff members were let go. How could this have been prevented?
This question requires more than just a simple response, so let’s start at the source: schools. Schools spend a lot of time on their image, especially with their sports, so if a respectable college football coach offers his services, they are most likely going to comply with his demands. The school will give these coaches as much freedom as they desire in return for some major wins as long as the students don’t complain. Maintaining a good image may be important, but is it worth turning a blind eye to the possibility of students being taken advantage of?
The ideal purpose of sports is to build a person’s character both socially and physically. This is the ideal that schools should be aiming towards rather than maintaining decent rankings. Sandusky’s colleagues were not willing to risk their reputations by reporting him; as a result, Sandusky was able to remain under the public’s eye in the midst of his heinous crimes.