A few hours prior to Joe Paterno being fired late Wednesday night, students responded to the scandal. Paterno had been in charge of defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who currently is facing multiple counts of sexual abuse of minors. According to a grand jury report, Paterno was informed of Sandusky’s behavior by a graduate assistant in 2002.
How do you feel? Tweet at us or comment on the story and tell us your opinion on the Penn State scandal.
Ali Emamdjomeh
Economics senior
If there are reports saying he knew about this issue then he should have came forward, and clearly he didn’t do anything about it. Nobody did anything about it, and there has to be accountability.
I wouldn’t let him finish the season, no. You just can’t be doing stuff like that as a head coach.
Kevin Browning
History freshman
I guess he should be fired because that is really wrong and weird. I would probably let him finish out the season just to be sportsmanlike.
Dillon Kuiava
Comparative cultures and politics sophomore
My opinion would be, yeah, he should probably step down if he knew about it earlier, but I guess coming forward in general is kind of a difficult thing to do, especially in the heightened environment of sports programs and the image that people have to uphold. I can understand that there’s pressure on him but he probably should have come forward earlier.
Brooke Siepierski
Nursing sophomore
If they can find out that he had knowledge of these other cases then absolutely I think he should be forced to step down. But if you can’t prove it and if he didn’t have knowledge of it, then it would be kind of pointless and they should just let him finish out his season.
Mike Donek
Philosophy freshman
Maybe he should be fired, but maybe that might just be doing more damage to the players than him because his legacy is already tarnished. But they’re going for a Big Ten title, so I don’t think it’s fair to the players.
Riley Mahoney
James Madison freshman
I think that it’s not okay to just ignore it. I’d let him finish the season, I think. I think it’s unfair to the team to have him step down in the middle of the season.
Rick Santorum
Presidential candidate, Penn State Alumni
(Said after CNBC Debate at Oakland University) He should have done more. The fact that he didn’t that allowed other tragedies to continue, and the horrific things that this monster did. The university, including Joe, did not have the wisdom to step up and do something. I think you’re going to see a lot more people fired, not just Joe Paterno. I’m very very distraught about the whole thing
Twitter responses:
@jdschulman It’s the right move. Proves that they stand on character, not convenience.
@nschilling12 That’s a sad way for a legendary coach to go out.
@msuamber Expected but still unreal
RoFloESPN Someone call danieltosh , some of these #pennstate students might need a web redemption.
@SirPacker Lesson for future legends and leaders of the Big 10 we must derive from the Ohio State and Penn State scandals: always be honest.
@jaimielynnbel I can’t believe people are mad about Joe Pa being fired. He DID commit a crime. & how can u live w/ yourself knowing about that?
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