Penn State legend and former football coach Joe Paterno has not been entirely erased from the university’s campus. After allegations of child sexual abuse against retired coach Jerry Sandusky, the statue of Jo-Pa prominentlydisplayed outside Beaver Stadium was removed. His likeness, once on everything from Milano bread billboards to refrigerator magnets, is hardly seen on campus. Paterno went from king to a man with a sullied reputation hanging in the stocks. Penn State, however, has decided it is now safe to celebrate the career of the former football coaching phenomenon.
Once again a trending topic on Twitter, tweets about Joe Paterno are mostly negative.
If Penn State feels the need to honor Joe Paterno then allow me to imitate Joe Paterno and look the other way.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) September 1, 2016
PENN STATE HONORS JOE PATERNO
BROCK TURNER RELEASED FROM JAIL AFTER 3 MONTHS
but sure: rape victims get justice if they just report it— Sarah Thyre (@SarahThyre) September 1, 2016
I cannot even fathom how @PennStateAlums and the @NCAA can allow this honoring of Joe Paterno #PennState https://t.co/rYNMnuwvjh
— OneMetSaid… (@OneMetSaid) September 1, 2016
Penn State will honor Joe Paterno, a man who knew one of his friends was a child rapist for decades and did nothing to stop him.
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) September 1, 2016
On the release date of Birth of A Nation, Penn State will also commemorate Nate Parker’s first wrestling match.
— Travon Free (@Travon) September 1, 2016
Everyone is freaking out about Joe Paterno being honored at Penn State. Meanwhile, Christopher Columbus still has his own federal holiday…
— Ryan Broems (@ryanbroems) September 1, 2016
It’s as if Penn State didn’t educate itself on respecting victims, on institutional failures, on putting football above people.
— Jane McManus (@janesports) September 1, 2016
ESPN sports journalist ReceDavis called the move “tone deaf.”
On Sept. 17, Penn State University will honor the “winningest coach in FBS history (409 victories)” bycommemorating the 50th anniversaryof the late coach’s first win in 1966 against Maryland,PennLive reported. According to the student-runblog Onward State, Paterno has not been celebrated by the university since his firing in 2011. Although never convicted in connection with the Sandusky scandal, Paterno was implicated and left his Happy Valley kingdom in disgrace.
It was believed that the abuse allegations went back as far as 1994, but an insurance dispute over who should pay — the university or its insurance company — the 26 men who say Sandusky abused them when they were kids revealed more.In May, unsealed documents suggested Paterno knew about Sandusky’s crimes as far back as 1976, but did nothing, NBC reported at the time. The Paterno Foundation already had a Sept. 16 private celebration of the anniversary of Paterno’sfirst game as head coach at Lubrano Park in State College, ESPN reported.Penn State alum and university trustee Anthony Lubranois one ofPaterno’s supporters who have advocated for official recognition of the anniversary from Penn State.
