Warning: I am about to go on a rant. A well-deserved and worthy rant, but a rant nonetheless. You have been warned!
I work in a social service agency. A non-profit whose sole purpose is to provide underprivileged youth with a role model, a mentor, someone for them to look up to and to learn from. And we are 100% dedicated to safety of the children. Intensive background checks, monthly follow ups with parents, volunteers and children, all things to help us keep the children safe. Safe from people out there who would want to hurt them.
With all this being said, I am sickened by what has gone down at Penn State in the last 12 years- and is just now coming out. I drove to work this morning listening to sports talk radio- my jaw hanging open as I learned new facts. How could someone witness child molestation, and LIVE with themselves knowing that the person responsible was not being held responsible, but also being left to do it to other youth? And then work side-by-side with this person for 10 years? I seriously am enraged and shocked and so many other words that I can not even express right now.
While Joe Paterno has had a wonderful career and is an incredibly well-respected football coach, this story has NOTHING to do with college football. The fact that this case has been kept under wraps for so many years, simply because they didn't want to tarnish the tradition and respect of the Penn State football program is ridiculous. If something had been done 10 years ago when it was first reported to Paterno, who in turn reported it to the Athletic Director, how many children would have been protected? How many children would have been saved from such a horrible, disgusting act?
Children's lives and well being...or a winning and respected football program? Let's get serious here. Is that even a damn question?
Now I'm as big of a college football fan as the next girl (likely more than a lot of girls!), but that in no way makes it acceptable. A situation like this should have never been hidden. No excuses, not even for football.
Ok, end rant.
