Penn State's trustees say late coach Joe Paterno's failure to follow up on a sexual abuse allegation against former assistant Jerry Sandusky “constituted a failure of leadership” that ultimately led to his firing in November.
A report issued Monday by the trustees says the board ultimately decided to fire Paterno after learning the details of his testimony before a grand jury when charges were filed against Sandusky.
The report also says the board decided to fire Paterno by phone because his home was surrounded by media and they deemed there was no “dignified, private and secure way” for trustees to meet with him in person.
Paterno died of lung cancer in January.
Paterno's family released the following statement in response to the report:
The Paterno family is surprised and saddened that the Board of Trustees believes it is necessary and appropriate to explain - for the fourth or fifth time - why they fired Joe Paterno so suddenly and unjustifiably on Nov 9, 2011.
The latest statement is yet another attempt by the Board to deflect criticism of their leadership by trying to focus the blame on Joe Paterno. This is not fair to Joe's legacy; it is not consistent with the facts; and it does not serve the best interests of the University. The Board's latest statement reaffirms that they did not conduct a thorough investigation of their own and engaged in a rush to judgment.
At various times University officials have said that they fired Joe Paterno. At other times they have said they didn't fire him. They have simultaneously accused him of moral and leadership failures, and praised him for the high standards he set for the University.
The tough questions that have yet to be addressed relate not to Joe Paterno, but to the Board. Two months ago, as Joe Paterno was dying, the Board conducted a series of media interviews condemning him for "moral" failures. Now they are trying a different tack and accusing him of "leadership" failures. The question we would ask is simply this, when will the Board step up and acknowledge that the ultimate responsibility for this crisis is theirs? Everyone who cares about Penn State is longing for strong, courageous, honest leadership. Today's statement is anything but that.
