Ever since the story of the sex abuse scandal and coverup in Penn State’s football program broke last Saturday, there has been a lot of attention focused on Joe Paterno’s role in it, specifically regarding whether he deserved to be punished for failing to report the incident to the police.

There have also been a lot of people saying that it’s wrong to be devoting so much attention to the coach when we should be focusing on the victims and using this as an opportunity to increase awareness of child abuse prevention. They are right, of course. To their credit, many Penn State students are doing just that, between holding a candlelight vigil tonight and encouraging everyone to wear blue at this weekend’s football game.

But there is a sense in which I think it’s worth talking about Paterno’s role. Not because of his celebrity, but because he is the “everyman” in this incident. Many of us could imagine ourselves being in much the same situation that he was when Mike McQueary told him what he saw. The question of Paterno’s guilt is a question of ethics that, in the quest to stop …

Many of this blog’s readers will know by now about the sex abuse allegations involving a former football coach at Penn State (where I’m a student). If you haven’t heard about it, take a look at this excellent summary of the allegations. You can also read the grand jury report, which first made this whole thing public, at that page, or via the New York Times.

What I find most, um, “interesting” about this is how many of the reactions to the scandal don’t tell you to do just that.

I don’t often talk about ethical issues because they’re messy business, and this story, in particular the role that Joe Paterno plays in it, is a perfect example of why. Paterno is the heart and soul of Penn State. He’s been working at the school for 61 years, helping it grow academically and athletically every step of the way. You can’t argue with the fact that he has done a tremendous amount of good for the university, and the students and alumni are definitely justified in loving him for it. Heck, even though I’m not a football fan in the slightest …