School-Themed T-Shirts Make Light of Sandusky Abuse

A photo of an Ohio State-themed T-shirt that taunts Jerry Sandusky’s victims surfaced Wednesday and caused some uproar in the social media world.

The T-shirt, which reads, “I’d rather shower at Penn State than cheer for the Wolverines” makes light of Sandusky’s abuse of children in the Penn State showers by suggesting supporting a hated gridiron rival (in this case, Michigan) is worse than being sexually assaulted.

Truth is, this type of T-shirt is not new, it did not originate with Ohio State nor does the university have anything to do with the shirt. A similar LSU-themed T-shirt appeared June 15 and grabbed some headlines a week later. A Iowa-themed shirt is also making the rounds.

“We recently became aware that this T-shirt design is circulating on social media,” Gayle Saunders, OSU assistant vice president of media relations, wrote in an e-mail to USA Today. “This is not a University sanctioned T-shirt, and we have no knowledge of where it originated. It is unacceptable and appalling that someone would make light of a tragedy in this manner.”

It’s not currently known who is behind the T-shirts, be it a group or several individuals looking to turn a profit.

Sandusky is soon to be sentenced on 45 counts in a child sex abuse case after being convicted in June.