The Penn State scandal seems to have permeated every level of the National consciousness, all the way up to the commander-in-chief. President Obama was asked about the Penn State scandal in a recent press conference, and according to David Jackson of USA Today, he implored the country as a whole to investigate what it meant for our various institutions.
There have been problems, obviously, with respect to sexual abuse or assault directed against women, where institutions sort of closed ranks instead of getting on top of it right away. And that's why I said I think all institutions, not just universities or sports programs, have to step back and take stock, and make sure that we're doing everything we can to protect people who may be vulnerable in these circumstances, but also just keep in mind what's important -- making sure that our excitement about a college sports program doesn't get in the way of our basic human response when somebody is being hurt.
This is a difficult thing for Obama to speak on because there is now right answer, no way that he can make this situation seem palatable. But he does make an interesting point about what this means for all of us, and it is important for us to learn something here.