Why Penn State's JoePa Must Go Now

The Penn State University board of trustees faces a challenging, though not impossible, conundrum. What do they do with JoePa?

The two administrators to whom Joe Paterno reported a sexual abuse incident in 2002 have been formally charged with crimes (perjury and obstruction of justice) because they failed to notify authorities. Paterno, meanwhile, has been officially charged with nothing. This leaves the university to determine exactly what moral culpability and punishment should befall the legendary football coach. 

If you're a fan of Penn State football, the answer to the JoePa question might be as simple as accepting the end-of-season resignation that Paterno has tendered. In an attempt to serve as his own ethics judge and jury, or perhaps just because he's old, tired, and genuinely disappointed in himself, Paterno has indicated his intent to call it quits after the 2011 season, and some think that may be adequate. After all, Paterno apparently met his obligations under the law, and for the last 46 years, the much beloved coach has brought unmatched money, prestige, and class to the university. Not to mention, he is the winningest coach in college football history.  

For many others though, including the university board of trustees, the question that must now be answered is whether or not Joe Pa's self-imposed sentence is as timely and severe a punishment as he deserves.

If the sexual abuse that Paterno reported in 2002 had been limited to one instance with one boy, maybe his retirement offer would be more palatable. The totality of the damage would have already been done, and the consequences of failing to notify the police would still have been tragic, but less so. But it wasn't a singular incident, and the sexual abuses committed by Jerry Sandusky are alleged to have continued with several other boys for at least three years after being originally reported. The simple fact is more young boys were raped, even after the incident was reported to Paterno, because no one had the gumption or good sense to turn the matter over to the police (as required by law). 

The Paterno conundrum may appear complicated at first to the board of trustees, but by asking themselves a few simple questions, they can reduce the issue to its core and see the crystal clear answer. 

Did all this have to happen? What could have stopped it? What are the mental, spiritual, and physical health of one boy's life worth? What about the well-being of eight boys? 

The lives of those boys are worth a hell of a lot more than the reputation of a college football program, more than the prestige of a university, and certainly more than one man's legacy. Sadly, JoePa must go, and he must go now.