Members of the Penn State Board of Trustees must be held accountable for their actions

After watching the memorial service yesterday that celebrated Joe Paterno's life, I ask how can anyone with any common sense at all think that Joe Paterno could have known exactly what Mike McQueary allegedly thought he may have seen and not have done something more about it? Joe Paterno made Penn State University what it is today. He was much more than a Football Coach. Without Joe they would not have the prestigious board to sit on. Joe Paterno, as a single individual, did more for Penn State than the Board of Trustees collectively.

The people who spoke yesterday at his memorial knew Joe. The real Joe, and that Joe never would have let anything happen to any child. Allegations are not findings of fact, they remain only accusations until an impartial hearing of the facts in a court of law results in, or fails to demonstrate, a finding of guilt.

It is essential to note several things that are facts: 1. Joe Paterno did not harm a child (and, in fact, he has contributed to many young men becoming responsible adults and fathers). 2. Joe Paterno did what is required in the State of Pennsylvania when an educator has a reasonable belief that a child has been abused or neglected 3. A football coach is not a mandated reporter in the State of Pennsylvania. 4. Despite doing what an educator is required to do when suspected abuse is identified, he wished he had done more. This admission does not imply guilt, it conveys his wish that he could have done more to protect children.

What harm would have been done to Penn State if the Board of Trustees had permitted a finding of the facts to occur before deciding whether it was appropriate to take action against Joe Paterno? Is it possible that the Trustees felt personally challenged by Joe Paterno's statement that he would retire at the end of the year and that they shouldn't waste a minute of their time debating what should happen to him? Is it possible that the Trustees were more concerned about demonstrating their control than about making a calm, deliberate, rational decision? Is it possible that, had they allowed the emotion of the moment to pass, that the Trustees might have made a wise decision rather than a fast decision? Clearly, the Trustees are now in a position of attempting to justify the "wisdom" of their action.

We cannot expect that they, as a group, will acknowledge any wrongdoing and, in that, they share the same response to alleged wrongdoing as Jerry Sandusky. By the way, are we really to expect that the only way you could safely inform Joe Paterno that he had been fired is by sending a note to his home, via a messenger, asking him to call you?

An old saying is that "Fools rush in where angels dare to tread." In my opinion. the Board of Trustees rushed in to make a quick decision in response to a highly emotion situation and in response to their perception that a football coach was challenging their authority. You, Trustees, are supposed to be leaders. You failed. You failed your university. You failed your public. And, unlike the person you fired, your failure will be your legacy.

There is no doubt that the Penn State Board of Trustees wrongfully dismissed Joe without due process, and should be ashamed of themselves. Members of the board should admit that they acted in haste and swallow their pride. Let the world know that they are Penn State Proud.