I have some familiarity with PA Child Protective Services Law aka "mandated reporter law" and based on what I've seen in the press, Mr. Paterno did exactly what that law stipulated - he reported his suspicion to the authorities. The law does NOT require mandated reporters (i.e. anyone who in his/her professional capacity has contacts with minors or the elderly) to substantiate their suspicions, just to report them. It is the role of proper authorities (typically Department of Public Welfare) to substantiate these reports. The substantiation rate is quite low - about 13 or so percent for reports filed by educational institutions.
We can argue whether he exhibited "leadership failure" by not disciplining his underling suspected of child molestation - but I can almost hear a chorus of civil libertarians lamenting to high heaven if he did.
Methinks it is not "failure of leadership" of the individuals involved, but a case of systemic blindness caused by the sacred cow status of college (and high school) football. AFAIK, school officials often bend backwards to white-wash sex offenders, rapists, and other criminal elements who are football stars on their school teams. Defund the ratfuckers and let them hold bake sales to support their operations.
Wojtek
On Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 9:36 AM, <dperrin at comcast.net> wrote:
> Some observations.
>
> <http://dennisperrin.blogspot.com/2011/11/americas-game.html>
>
> Dennis
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