Dear Penn State Students:

I come to you today to ask you to stop. Please, just stop.

Stop rioting, stop talking, stop chanting, stop.

I understand wholeheartedly how it feels to love your school so intensely. This situation isn’t about loving your school, though.  This situation isn’t about football or basketball or even superior academics.

This situation that’s unfolding, and will continue to unfold and get bigger, trumps anything school-related. It’s about people. Victims being irreparably damaged and adults not protecting children.

Students, I don’t expect you to really get it. You’re still young and naive. You don’t have the gift of experience and this probably seems like a crime against Paterno to you right now.

Let me tell you this.

This is bigger than Joe Paterno and his decades of coaching and hundreds of wins. This is bigger than national titles and bowl wins. 

Ten year old boys were allowed to be sexually assaulted and raped on school property with witnesses who yes, told their superiors, but who (allegedly) never followed up on it. HOW IN THE HELL DO THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT? How do the superiors, Joe Paterno, the AD, the President of the University sleep at night?

Students, do you think that if you saw that happen you would be able to sleep at night? Do you really think that you wouldn’t make sure somebody knew about it who would do something? What if this was your little cousin and you saw his coach raping him in the shower? Would you not protect him?

Maybe you wouldn’t. Maybe you’re too young to understand it all.

But let me tell you this. From this minute forward, you are educated and are no longer naive. You have knowledge about what to do if you see or hear or know about sexual abuse or rape. YOU TELL SOMEBODY. You tell a cop or a doctor or a teacher. You tell your parents or your best friend. Tell anybody who can help you get action going.

You call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673. 

You can save somebody’s life.

Even though the victims of this abuse are still living and being (I assume) productive members of society, they are forever changed. They have had their innocence and trust taken from them by somebody who, after he didn’t get caught the first time, got away with it.

I urge you to do this, students. Instead of appearing selfish and shallow, rioting because the Board of Directors fired your idol, kindly and firmly ask your school to continue making a statement. The statement needs to be that this won’t be tolerated and they don’t support anyone who had any knowledge of this. Anyone involved should be terminated and (in my opinion) prosecuted within the parameters of the law.

That statement will be bigger than you pushing over a news van. (Which, if they haven’t told you yet, your parents are disappointed in you for. They’re also disappointed that they didn’t teach you any better.)

I also urge you to learn about sexual abuse and child molestation. It’s a real problem. It’s not only sick and disgusting, but it’s life-changing for victims. It’s like bullying. I know you’ve been talked to about bullying. If you get bullied and you tell someone, the problem will be dealt with and future bullying victims can be spared. Same deal here, kids.

You’ll change a life. You’ll change LIVES.

So students of Penn State. Love your school. Hate what’s been done. But use your anger for good. Demand justice and then start rebuilding the reputation of your school. Joe Paterno’s not a fall-guy like you think. He’s an accomplice. Whether he legally did what he was supposed to or not, he morally didn’t.

He didn’t fight for kids he claimed to love.

Would he have fought for you?

Sincerely,

Jana

If you know someone who has been sexually assaulted, raped or sexually abused OR know someone who has performed these acts on others, PLEASE use your voice to report them. Whether they are a family member, a friend, a co-worker, YOU WILL SAVE A LIFE and help protect other victims. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673. 

To teach your children about using their voice to say NO! and to empower them to tell a parent, teacher or other person who will help them, check out the book Fred The Fox Shouts NO! by Tatiana K. Matthews. 

 **I want to add another thought. I have several friends who are Penn State graduates, and they are devastated by this. They’re sad that Joe Paterno has had to go out like this, but mostly they are sad that these crimes weren’t reported. They are mad and upset and likely embarrassed. They love their school but some are having a hard time processing all of this. My friend Amy is one of those.

I’m also aware that the students rioting and acting like children don’t represent the entire student body. However, all students and parents and children can take lessons from this story.