Sandusky's Mission Statement
Penn State University is a land-grant public research University in Pennsylvania. The school’s mission statement claims “The Pennsylvania State University is a multi-campus, land-grant, public research University that educates students from around the world, and supports individuals and communities through integrated programs of teaching, research, and service” (“Mission”, 2016). Their vision statement declares that “Penn State will be a leader in research, learning, and engagement that facilitates innovation, embraces diversity and sustainability, and inspires achievements that will affect the world in positive and enduring ways” (“Mission, 2016). The school is focused on research and providing opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to study and develop technologies that will positively impact the world. The university is guided by six core principles: integrity, respect, responsibility, discovery, excellence, and community (“Mission”, 2016). The athletic teams compete in the Big Ten Conference and the school is famous
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for a high quality football program. Football is king in Happy Valley.
Few scandals have shocked the public or received the amount of media attention as the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal at Penn State University.
Sandusky’s child abuse and the failure of Penn State administration to handle the case ethically and professionally led to NCAA sanctions and legal ramifications for many involved. Penn State lost focus of their mission and vision statements by placing football above all else. They also violated the majority of their core principles in the action, or lack of action, in the Jerry Sandusky case. This paper will analyze the abuse by Sandusky and how the school failed to follow its own core principles and mission statement. The paper will analyze the punishment handed down by the NCAA and the court of law. Finally, the paper will provide reflection upon the root of the scandal and provide strategies and proactive actions that schools can implement to prevent another sickening child abuse
scandal.
Sandusky’s Child Abuse Jerry Sandusky was an assistant coach and eventually became the defensive coordinator under legendary coach Joe Paterno (Carlton, 2015, p. 507). He started coaching for Penn State back in 1969 (Freeh, 2012, p. 19). Besides coaching at Penn State University, Sandusky was founder and operator of Second Mile which was “a group foster home devoted to helping troubled boys” (Chappell, 2012). The first known case of inappropriate contact with minors occurred in 1994 (Chappell, 2012). There were at least three victims between 1994 and 1997 (“Sandusky”, 2011). According to the victims, Sandusky engaged in inappropriate conduct ranging from touching to outright sexual encounters” (“Sandusky”, 2011). These sexual acts occurred in a hotel the night before Penn State football games (“Sandusky”, 2011).
Sandusky showered with a high school boy in 1998 and had inappropriate contact with him while on the campus of Penn State University (Chappell, 2012). This was the first allegation that was brought against Sandusky. Sandusky wrestled with the boy, kissed him, and touched him inappropriately in the shower (Freeh, 2012, p. 41). The report of this incident launched an investigation into to the alleged act (Chappell, 2012).
In December 1999, Sandusky sexually assaulted another victim while the Penn State football team was on the road in Texas (Freeh, 2012, p. 22). Sandusky was caught by janitors sexually abusing another victim in 2000 on campus (Freeh, 2012, p.22). This incident was not reported because the janitors feared they would be fired if they reported it to authorities (Freeh, 2002, p. 22). In February, 2001 Sandusky had sex with a young boy in the showers on campus (Chappell, 2015). This case was reported to Joe Paterno and the administration by an assistant coach but the administration did not report it to state authorities (Freeh, 2012, p. 23).
Sandusky sexually abused another boy on campus in 2001 (Freeh, 2012, p.25). Sandusky developed a sexual relationship with a young boy that lasted for a few years. “During this period, Sandusky performed oral sex on the boy more than 20 times, and the boy performed oral sex on him once.” (“Penn State Scandal”, 2017) In 2008, the young boy’s mom reported the abuse to the police and their relationship ended (“Penn State Scandal”, 2017). It is not clear how many other boys Sandusky took advantage of while at Penn State University. According to court records, Sandusky sexually abused “10 boys over 15 years, including three victims after the 2001 locker room incident” (Ganim, 2017). According to Ganim, (2017) “Two men claim they reported their abuse directly to Paterno in the 1970s.” We may never know how many innocent boys were abused by Sandusky during his time at Penn State University.
Failure of Leadership The leadership at Penn State University failed numerous times to properly report abuse and protect other boys from becoming victims of Sandusky. Penn State president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Shultz, athletic director Tim Curley, and head football coach Joe Paterno all failed to report these heinous crimes against children and protect the youth (Chappell, 2012). This section will analyze how administrators and staff, along with the district police failed to stop Sandusky and allowed him to continue abusing children.
Shower Incident 1998 In May 1998, following the allegation of abuse in the shower, the campus police investigated the allegations but decided to drop the case. In an email to Gary Shultz, senior vice president for finance and business, the police chief wrote “We’re going to hold off on making any crime log entry. At this point in time I can justify that decision because of a lack of clear evidence of a crime” (Freeh, 2012, p. 20). It is important to note that Sandusky admitted to hugging the student in the shower during an interview on June 1st, 1998. Sandusky even revealed “he had done this with other children in the past” (Freeh, 2012, p. 20). With this evidence, the campus police and the district attorney still concurred to close the case (“Penn State Scandal”, 2017). The opinion of counselor Seasock helped the police come to their conclusion that the case should be dropped. After interviewing the boy, he stated “there seems to be no incident which could be deemed sexual abuse” (as cited in Freeh, 2012, p. 44). Based on their investigation and findings the police and the attorney general closed the case (Freeh, 2012, p.45-46). In an email to Curley and Spanier, Schultz wrote “I think the matter has been appropriately invested and hopefully the matter is behind us” (Freeh, 2012, p. 20). They thought the situation would go away but it was just the beginning of a much larger problem.
Janitor 2000 The janitor that witnessed the sexual abuse of a young boy in the locker-room told his boss but did not report to offense to University administration or the authorities (Chappell, 2012).Jay Witherite, the supervisor of the custodial staff, told the janitor that witnessed the abuse that “he could report the incident to, if he chose to do so” (Chappell, 2012). According to the Freeh Report, “Fearing that they would be fired for disclosing what they saw, neither janitor reported the incident to University officials, law enforcement or child protection agencies” (Freeh, 2012, p. 62). Unfortunately, the janitor chose not to report the incident because he did not want to lose his job.
for a high quality football program. Football is king in Happy Valley.
Few scandals have shocked the public or received the amount of media attention as the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal at Penn State University.
Sandusky’s child abuse and the failure of Penn State administration to handle the case ethically and professionally led to NCAA sanctions and legal ramifications for many involved. Penn State lost focus of their mission and vision statements by placing football above all else. They also violated the majority of their core principles in the action, or lack of action, in the Jerry Sandusky case. This paper will analyze the abuse by Sandusky and how the school failed to follow its own core principles and mission statement. The paper will analyze the punishment handed down by the NCAA and the court of law. Finally, the paper will provide reflection upon the root of the scandal and provide strategies and proactive actions that schools can implement to prevent another sickening child abuse
scandal.
Sandusky’s Child Abuse Jerry Sandusky was an assistant coach and eventually became the defensive coordinator under legendary coach Joe Paterno (Carlton, 2015, p. 507). He started coaching for Penn State back in 1969 (Freeh, 2012, p. 19). Besides coaching at Penn State University, Sandusky was founder and operator of Second Mile which was “a group foster home devoted to helping troubled boys” (Chappell, 2012). The first known case of inappropriate contact with minors occurred in 1994 (Chappell, 2012). There were at least three victims between 1994 and 1997 (“Sandusky”, 2011). According to the victims, Sandusky engaged in inappropriate conduct ranging from touching to outright sexual encounters” (“Sandusky”, 2011). These sexual acts occurred in a hotel the night before Penn State football games (“Sandusky”, 2011).
Sandusky showered with a high school boy in 1998 and had inappropriate contact with him while on the campus of Penn State University (Chappell, 2012). This was the first allegation that was brought against Sandusky. Sandusky wrestled with the boy, kissed him, and touched him inappropriately in the shower (Freeh, 2012, p. 41). The report of this incident launched an investigation into to the alleged act (Chappell, 2012).
In December 1999, Sandusky sexually assaulted another victim while the Penn State football team was on the road in Texas (Freeh, 2012, p. 22). Sandusky was caught by janitors sexually abusing another victim in 2000 on campus (Freeh, 2012, p.22). This incident was not reported because the janitors feared they would be fired if they reported it to authorities (Freeh, 2002, p. 22). In February, 2001 Sandusky had sex with a young boy in the showers on campus (Chappell, 2015). This case was reported to Joe Paterno and the administration by an assistant coach but the administration did not report it to state authorities (Freeh, 2012, p. 23).
Sandusky sexually abused another boy on campus in 2001 (Freeh, 2012, p.25). Sandusky developed a sexual relationship with a young boy that lasted for a few years. “During this period, Sandusky performed oral sex on the boy more than 20 times, and the boy performed oral sex on him once.” (“Penn State Scandal”, 2017) In 2008, the young boy’s mom reported the abuse to the police and their relationship ended (“Penn State Scandal”, 2017). It is not clear how many other boys Sandusky took advantage of while at Penn State University. According to court records, Sandusky sexually abused “10 boys over 15 years, including three victims after the 2001 locker room incident” (Ganim, 2017). According to Ganim, (2017) “Two men claim they reported their abuse directly to Paterno in the 1970s.” We may never know how many innocent boys were abused by Sandusky during his time at Penn State University.
Failure of Leadership The leadership at Penn State University failed numerous times to properly report abuse and protect other boys from becoming victims of Sandusky. Penn State president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Shultz, athletic director Tim Curley, and head football coach Joe Paterno all failed to report these heinous crimes against children and protect the youth (Chappell, 2012). This section will analyze how administrators and staff, along with the district police failed to stop Sandusky and allowed him to continue abusing children.
Shower Incident 1998 In May 1998, following the allegation of abuse in the shower, the campus police investigated the allegations but decided to drop the case. In an email to Gary Shultz, senior vice president for finance and business, the police chief wrote “We’re going to hold off on making any crime log entry. At this point in time I can justify that decision because of a lack of clear evidence of a crime” (Freeh, 2012, p. 20). It is important to note that Sandusky admitted to hugging the student in the shower during an interview on June 1st, 1998. Sandusky even revealed “he had done this with other children in the past” (Freeh, 2012, p. 20). With this evidence, the campus police and the district attorney still concurred to close the case (“Penn State Scandal”, 2017). The opinion of counselor Seasock helped the police come to their conclusion that the case should be dropped. After interviewing the boy, he stated “there seems to be no incident which could be deemed sexual abuse” (as cited in Freeh, 2012, p. 44). Based on their investigation and findings the police and the attorney general closed the case (Freeh, 2012, p.45-46). In an email to Curley and Spanier, Schultz wrote “I think the matter has been appropriately invested and hopefully the matter is behind us” (Freeh, 2012, p. 20). They thought the situation would go away but it was just the beginning of a much larger problem.
Janitor 2000 The janitor that witnessed the sexual abuse of a young boy in the locker-room told his boss but did not report to offense to University administration or the authorities (Chappell, 2012).Jay Witherite, the supervisor of the custodial staff, told the janitor that witnessed the abuse that “he could report the incident to, if he chose to do so” (Chappell, 2012). According to the Freeh Report, “Fearing that they would be fired for disclosing what they saw, neither janitor reported the incident to University officials, law enforcement or child protection agencies” (Freeh, 2012, p. 62). Unfortunately, the janitor chose not to report the incident because he did not want to lose his job.