As distressing as the revelations about Joe Paterno are, equally troubling is the reaction from President Eric J. Barron.
He urges a further shuffling-under-the-rug of this matter, decrying “speculation.” How ironic, because he could end the “speculation” by a full disclosure of what Paterno and other officials knew and when they knew it. Instead, he hides behind the legal smoke of settlements with no public details.
And instead of acknowledging that child abuse is only furthered by this kind of hush-hush, “we-weren’t-in-the-shower-so-let’s-not-talk-about-it” secrecy, he compounds the crime. His position, and the university’s, makes a mockery of their claim that they only want to do what is best for victims.
Doug Struck,
Boston
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