Penn State Board Says 'Failure of Leadership' Led to Joe Paterno Firing

The drama surrounding Penn State and Jerry Sandusky continues to be clouded by myriad questions. Finally, we have an answer to one of them, as the trustees have delivered a statement on exactly why Joe Paterno was fired. 

ESPN reports that Penn State trustees have seen fit to answer once and for all why they decided to part ways with Joe Paterno. 

In the simplest of terms, Penn State trustees found that there was a "failure of leadership" that demanded Paterno lose his station as head coach and face of Penn State football. 

Via Penn State, here is some of the trustees' statement: 

"

We share the grief of the entire Penn State family at the passing of Coach Paterno. We also continue to respect and appreciate Dr. Spanier’s and Coach Paterno’s lasting contributions to Penn State...

We offer this report guided by one overriding commitment going forward—to remember the children who may have been victims of sexual abuse...

While Coach Paterno did his legal duty by reporting that information the next day...the Board reasonably inferred that he did not call police. We determined that his decision to do his minimum legal duty and not to do more to follow up constituted a failure of leadership by Coach Paterno.

"

Joe Paterno was always more than just some ordinary head coach. He was an extraordinary role model for players, staff and students at the prestigious university. 

That reputation comes with a responsibility to live up to the expectation that Paterno would go above and beyond to make sure the proud name of Penn State would stay as such. 

Obviously, the most important aspect of this story remains the alleged victims who had their lives destroyed over the course of several years. 

Former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing 10 boys over a 15-year span.

Paterno did what he was required to do in turning over information he knew to his superiors, but he stopped there. 

Despite awful and reprehensible allegations, he stopped just short of going the extra mile to make sure his school was a safe one. 

The man was revered as so much more in his time as Penn State head coach, because he was more than just that. 

He was the face of the entire university, and that means he was kept to a higher standard by the board. 

Penn State made the tough call in firing Joe Paterno after decades of brilliance, and it was because of one instance where he failed as a leader. 

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