Jerry Sandusky Scandal: Penn State Will Never Regain Reputation in Public Eye

Jerry Sandusky is innocent until proven guilty.

This is United States law, and he's entitled to a fair trial.

However, the damage to Penn State University is already done, and whether he is proven innocent or guilty is not going to change that.

The reported list of heinous crimes charged against Sandusky is absolutely atrocious.

The popular defensive coordinator, who was an integral part of the program's success for 30 years, has caused irreparable damage.

Although he's been retired for more than a decade, he's been a fixture in the Penn State locker room in more ways than one.

Sandusky has often been seen on campus and in the locker room since his departure from the sideline.

Unfortunately, some of those visits coincide with some of the alleged crimes charged against the 67-year-old.

One such incident, which occurred in 2002, is one of the hottest topics for discussion right now.

Via PennLive or the Patriot News:

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Perjury and failure to report charges were also filed against university Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President for business and finance, Gary Schultz, after prosecutors say they ignored a report in 2002 from then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary that McQueary had witnessed Sandusky performing a sex act with a boy in the Penn State football locker room.

Paterno, 84, told Curley about what McQueary witnessed, but said in his statement that he was never told the specifics of what McQueary saw.

"

This particular incident is a prime example of why Penn State's reputation will not rebound from this dark, dark situation.

These events were not only happening on Penn State grounds or campuses, but they were known about.

The law has absolved legendary head coach Joe Paterno of any wrongdoing. He, under oath, said he told his superiors about the incident when it was brought to his attention. As Sandusky was not part of the staff at the time, he let it be as it was.

The legal ramifications are not what will stain this university's reputation—it is moral aspect of things.

Why wasn't more done by Paterno or the administrators he told about the incident?

Why was Sandusky ever allowed to be seen on campus with a child after the alleged incident?

How much more, exactly, was known about this nearly a decade ago?

These questions and dilemmas will not only plague Penn State for the foreseeable future, but it will put their reputation in the public eye beyond repair.