Sandusky and the Terrible ‘Gift’ That Keeps Giving

In the past two weeks, we learned that Penn State intends to sue The Second Mile related to civil settlements in the Jerry Sandusky case. We learned that Sandusky’s son Jeffrey pled guilty to charges related to child sexual abuse. We learned that Gary Schultz was released from jail and that his name will officially be removed from the childcare facility at Hort Woods.  

We learned that former Harrisburg Patriot News reporter Sara Ganim, who first reported on the Sandusky story and is now at CNN, found “new” evidence from a police report 2011 police report about an incident 10 years earlier. We learned that the judge in Sandusky’s appeal won’t hear any more arguments before deciding on Sandusky’s request for a new trial.

I fell asleep in front of the TV while watching Penn State’s crushing of Georgia State at Beaver Stadium but I would guess that the announcers mentioned the scandal or the sanctions at least once in between their glowing reflections on Saquon Barkley and the rest of the undefeated Nittany Lions.

We are constantly reminded that after almost six years, the Sandusky scandal, as it has become known, is for some the gift that keeps on giving. The scandal that blew up in November 2011 is the horrible, unmentionable, uncomfortable gift that keeps coming back as news and re-writing of old news. We were reminded that the worst scandal in Penn State’s history continues to serve as fodder for selling newspapers.

In other words, we learned little new these past couple weeks except that Penn State still makes the headlines.

For those of us who live in Happy Valley and who work in and support the Penn State community, it serves as a constant reminder of the worst time in the history of our university.

For some who live outside of our community, it only reinforces what they “know.” When those same people read about hazing and the death of a Penn State pledge or a lawsuit related to an alleged employment retaliation issue, it must reinforce what they believe to be true. “There’s Penn State again.”

Several years ago, I arranged for students to attend a professional conference in which the opportunities for internship and job interviews was a benefit of participating. The students invested time and money in this opportunity. On the evening before I arrived, one of the students got very drunk and made a public spectacle of himself, proudly announcing his affiliation with Penn State, while dressed in full Penn State gear. The other students, the other conference attendees and the potential employers were all very much aware of this “Penn Stater” and his very public bad decisions.

The next morning, I watched the other students gather to develop their game plan. I could not have been more proud. They wore business suits to every session. They sat in the front row and asked questions. They passed out business cards and worked the room. They proudly introduced themselves as Penn State students. By the end of the conference, as they were getting interviews and offers, the antics of their colleague were soon forgotten. (He, on the other hand, learned a very valuable and costly lesson).

We need to implement the same game plan on a larger scale.

Penn Staters have to work a little harder to overcome what the few among us have done to tarnish the Penn State name.

We have to be the bigger people. We have to stand a little taller and smile a little brighter and turn the other cheek. We have to do more and give more and be more to make up for those who have taken from our beloved university.

We have to stop fighting and posting comments online and in social media that don’t reflect our community well.

We shouldn’t be booing at football games or making rude comments to our opponents’ fans in the tailgate fields.

When others try to bring us down with their inflammatory news coverage or tweets and anti-PSU slogans on social media, we need to look the other way.

We need to remind students that their names in the news for what some might consider “typical” college-age indiscretions only serve to reinforce the negative image.  With our winning football team and the big games ahead of us, we don’t need riots in the street and overturned cars and street lights.  

Where others can stumble, Penn State and Penn Staters need to walk a straight line.  It is not our fault but at least for a little while, it is our burden to bear.

The teaching, research and outreach of our university – as well as our amazing students and their current and future contributions to their communities and their professions – will eventually turn down the volume on Penn State’s tarnished image.  

Although we may not see the results immediately, the only way we are going to overcome the anti-Penn State rhetoric is to show them that is not who “We are.”