Joe Paterno Termination: A good move

While the Penn State local media and the protesting (rioting isn't a fair description right now) students aren't happy with Joe Paterno's termination, it was the best move the board of trustees could make.

By removing JoPa and the president of the University, the board of trustees has made the move to protect the broader reputation of a great institution and to begin the process of moving on.

Even though the legal process has to work itself out and due diligence must be completed in the judicial system, the board could not allow the reputation of the University to be chipped away at through that long and likely arduous process.

This isn't a tattoo-gate situation, like at Ohio State. This situation involves the highest of taboos for our society--pedophilia. Whether or not the allegations are true is not the issue.

The moral obligation of Paterno and the administration to act decisively when the charges first arose are what drives the reputation risk in this case. And the fact that there are not just one, but apparently multiple allegations in play, makes the University look like it held football, JoePa, and the "clean" reputation of the institution above the welfare and safety of children.

Penn State may very well be in a "Catch 22" with the facts. But from a reputation standpoint, this is the right move.

Students will not understand. The local media in PA may not understand.

But when one steps back and gains broader perspective, the board of trustees had no choice but to act decisively now because no one else had done so up until this point. They had no choice.

And what really makes this a legitimate move to protect the University's reputation is that the president of the school was also terminated.

A sad way for a great football career to end. But that pales in comparison to lax attitudes about the welfare and safety of vulnerable children.