I almost threw up.
On a day I’d like to be concentrating on Penn State’s big game Saturday against Nebraska, I’m focusing instead on learning as much as I can about the child abuse scandal that’s rocking my alma mater.
I read the full 28-page grand jury report on the sordid Jerry Sandusky accusations, hoping that I could still respect Joe Paterno as much as I have.
Sadly, Joe let me down along with an estimated 1.5 million alumni, 95,000 current PSU students, and especially young people who deserve protection from alleged sick predators like Sandusky.
True, Paterno wasn’t arrested because he immediately reported the incident that began this investigation to his boss, Athletic Director Tim Curley. Curley and Vice President Gary Schultz were arrested for not reporting the incident so Children’s Services could investigate.
I take no comfort in knowing Paterno appears to have fulfilled his duties as a mandated reporter under Pennsylvania state law.
If this had happened in  New York, Paterno would have been arrested. In this state, mandated reporters (teachers, school administrators, doctors, social workers and others who deal with children) are required by law to call the state’s child abuse hotline. Merely reporting it to your boss is not enough.
But beyond the law, Paterno had a moral responsibly to follow up and to keep this man away from his program as long as there was any chance even a part of the allegations may be true.
Paterno has to bear responsibly for seeing what apparently had been going on under his nose for years. Any half-measures he took placed vulnerable young people in danger... for years.
No, Paterno may have done nothing wrong, but he didn’t do enough right.
The motto of the Penn State football program is “Success with Honor.”
It rings sort of hollow today.

The New York hotline to report suspected cases of abuse or maltreatment is 1-800-342-3720. You can remain anonymous.
In cases where you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

Read the full grand jury report: http://1.usa.gov/vEoqDt