STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State University will remove the famed statue of Joe Paterno outside its football stadium, eliminating a key piece of the iconography surrounding the once-sainted football coach accused of burying child sex abuse allegations against a retired assistant.
The university said Sunday that it will take down the larger-than-life monument in the face of an investigative report by former FBI Director Louis Freeh that found the late coach, along with three top Penn State administrators, concealed the abuse claims against Jerry Sandusky more than a decade ago in order to shield the university and its football program from negative publicity.
A spokeswoman for the Paterno family did not immediately return phone and email messages Sunday morning.
Construction vehicles and police arrived shortly after dawn Sunday, barricading the street and sidewalks near the statue, erecting a chain-link fence then concealing the statue with a blue tarp.
A live video feed posted on the website of the Centre Daily Times of State College showed workers in white hard hats draping a plastic sheet over the statue, preparing for its removal.
Penn State President Rod Erickson said he decided to have the statue removed and put into storage because it “has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing.”
“I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse,” Erickson said in a statement released at 7 a.m. Sunday.
He said Paterno’s name will remain on the campus library because it “symbolizes the substantial and lasting contributions to the academic life and educational excellence that the Paterno family has made to Penn State University.”
The bronze sculpture outside Beaver Stadium has been a rallying point for students and alumni outraged over Paterno’s firing four days after Sandusky’s Nov. 5 arrest — and grief-stricken over the Hall of Fame coach’s Jan. 22 death at age 85.
But it turned into a target for critics after the Freeh report’s stunning allegation of a cover-up by Paterno, ousted President Graham Spanier and two Penn State officials, Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President Gary Schultz. Their failure to report Sandusky to child-welfare authorities in 2001 allowed him to continue molesting boys, the report found.
Paterno’s family, along with attorneys for Spanier, Curley and Schultz, vehemently deny any suggestion they protected a pedophile. Curley and Schultz await trial on charges of failing to report child abuse and lying to a grand jury but maintain their innocence. Spanier hasn’t been charged. Sandusky was convicted last month of 45 counts of sexual abuse of 10 boys.
Some newspaper columnists and former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden have said the statue should be taken down, while a small plane pulled a banner over State College reading, “Take the statue down or we will.”
But Paterno still has plenty of fans, and Penn State’s decision to remove the monument won’t sit well with them. One student even vowed to “chain myself to that statue” if there was an attempt to remove it.
University officials had called the issue a sensitive one in light of Paterno’s enormous contributions to the school over a 61-year coaching career. The Paterno family is well-known in the community for philanthropic efforts, including the millions of dollars they’ve donated to the university to help build a library and fund endowments and scholarships.
The statue, nearly 7 feet tall and weighing more than 900 pounds, was built in 2001 in honor of Paterno’s record-setting 324th Division 1 coaching victory and his “contributions to the university.”
Penn State President Rodney Erickson has released a statement this morning pertaining to Joe Paterno’s statue:
Since we learned of the Grand Jury presentment and the charges against Jerry Sandusky and University officials last November, members of the Penn State community and the public have been made much more acutely aware of the tragedy of child sexual abuse. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those victims of Mr. Sandusky and all other victims of child abuse. I assure you that Penn State will take a national leadership role in the detection and prevention of child maltreatment in the months and years ahead.
With the release of Judge Freeh’s Report of the Special Investigative Counsel, we as a community have had to confront a failure of leadership at many levels. The statue of Joe Paterno outside Beaver Stadium has become a lightning rod of controversy and national debate, including the role of big time sports in university life. The Freeh Report has given us a great deal to reflect upon and to consider, including Coach Paterno’s legacy.
Throughout Penn State, the two most visible memorials to Coach Paterno are the statue at Beaver Stadium and the Paterno Library. The future of these two landmarks has been the topic of heated debate and many messages have been received in various University offices, including my own. We have heard from numerous segments of the Penn State community and others, many of whom have differing opinions. These are particularly important decisions when considering things that memorialize such a revered figure.
I now believe that, contrary to its original intention, Coach Paterno’s statue has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing in our University and beyond. For that reason, I have decided that it is in the best interest of our university and public safety to remove the statue and store it in a secure location. I believe that, were it to remain, the statue will be a recurring wound to the multitude of individuals across the nation and beyond who have been the victims of child abuse.
On the other hand, the Paterno Library symbolizes the substantial and lasting contributions to the academic life and educational excellence that the Paterno family has made to Penn State University. The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno’s commitment to Penn State’s student body and academic success, and it highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the University. Thus I feel strongly that the library’s name should remain unchanged.
Coach Paterno’s positive impact over the years and everything he did for this University predate his statue. At the same time it is true that our institution’s excellence cannot be attributed to any one person or to athletics. Rather, Penn State is defined by our actions and accomplishments as a learning community. Penn State has long been an outstanding academic institution and we will continue to be.
The world will be watching how Penn State addresses its challenges in the days ahead. While some may take issue with the decisions I have made, I trust that everyone associated with our University will respond in a civil and respectful manner.
I fully realize that my decision will not be popular in some Penn State circles, but I am certain it is the right and principled decision. I believe we have chosen a course that both recognizes the many contributions that Joe Paterno made to the academic life of our University, while taking seriously the conclusions of the Freeh Report and the national issue of child sexual abuse. Today, as every day, our hearts go out to the victims.
Once again they only get it half right.
Explain?
“On the other hand, the Paterno Library symbolizes the substantial and lasting contributions to the academic life and educational excellence that the Paterno family has made to Penn State University. The library remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno’s commitment to Penn State’s student body and academic success, and it highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the University. Thus I feel strongly that the library’s name should remain unchanged.”
They only got it half right becuase his name should be removed from the library as well. What was the commitment to the victim’s of Sandusky. There was none! What were the positive impacts he made on their lives? There were none! Paterno was more worried about his image and the image of Penn State football that he was about protecting students from a pedophile.
Penn States football program should be suspended for at least 5 years if not longer.
A good start. Now the NCAA needs to step in and suspend their football program for 5 years. Pulling down a statue is not enough.
Pull down the statue of Paterno fine because he helped cover up for a monster for years. To punish current players for the sins of a deadman is ignorant and arbitrary. I wonder should Obama be suspended for his ongoing cover up of the killings of U.S. border agents by his out of control “justice dept.” in operation fast and furious?
Really, do you know that he covered up for him? Why didn’t this retired FBI guy say anything why Paterno was alive? Why did he cover this up when he knew about it? Not saying what happened was right, but it’s king of hard for Joe to defend himself when he’s dead.
Almost as hard as it was for those little kids to defend themselves while he was alive. As far as the “FBI guy” is concerned he wasn’t called upon to conduct an investigation until the scandal had occurred, kind of like how cops aren’t called in to investigate a murder until after someone finds the body. He did not cover anything up. I find it amazing that someone who is called “commonsense” doesn’t exercise any. Keep on supporting a man who looked the other way while little kids were being abused.
Excuse me but this FBI agent stated that he was investigating this long before he retired, thats how he supposedly knew about the scandal. Know the facts before spouting off! And you have know idea what Paterno did know or didn’t know. It’s all hearsay until proven and he can’t defend himself anymore. Not saying what happened was right, but you have no idea what went on. So don’t assault Paterno or Penn State until you know the whole story!
I did research the facts. In fact I read the entire report. Now if you can provide a link where Mr. Freeh said that he had been investigating this cover up before he was hired to do the investigation I will be more then happy to read it. And it isn’t hearsay any longer Sandusky was tried and convicted in case you missed that minor point. I know from prior postings of yours that you like to defend indefensible people, a certain Governor comes to mind, but before you go making false statements it would be a good idea if you at least read the report.
Hope you’re so happy what they took away from the School and the students today. This was a BS sanction. How can you take scholarships away from students that had no bearing in this case and forfeit all wins from 2008 until now? That is crap and you know it!
Yes, actually he should and that will happen when he failed to be re-elected!
No they don’t. Is it the students fault for this? No it’s not. Why do you need to punish those that weren’t even alive when this occurred?
It’s not the students that need to be punished – it’s the administration and is complacency that needs to be held to accountability. A message needs to be sent to schools across this country that safety and decency always comes before money. The kids currently playing for Penn State will quickly be scooped up by other Universities.
What kind of fantasy land are you in? It doesn’t work like that. And do you know if the same coaches are there now? No you don’t, so don’t pass judgement on something you have no clue about!
Do they move them around like priests???
What the heck are you talking about? Try to stay on topic instead of twisting things!
One bad decision that hurt people made years ago ruins a career that spanned over 50 years of helping people. Damn shame
Not a matter of “one bad decision” — a number of years being actively involved in covering for a pedophile. Moreover, “one bad decision” could be recruiting someone who didn’t turn out to be a good player. This wasn’t just “bad;” it was both evil *and* illegal.
Not illegal Lori, and “evil” seems a bit strong. Paterno was a football coach. He wasn’t a saint, social worker, or even a mandated reporter. Under the law Paterno had NO obligation to report hearsay. It is questionable (again under the law) if he would have been required to report even if he had seen the act.
All this focus on other ancillary players in this abuse removes the focus from the true pedophile, Sandusky. Sandusky deserves all the punishment and attention. He was (and is) the alleged perpetrator. Paterno did nothing. That may not fit your definition of morality, but it isn’t illegal.
Paterno made a decision every day he knew about it and did nothing, he made thousands of wrong decisions not just one
Finally the right decision has been made.
This is a tough one. It is not fair to punish the student players – no question. But, the Penn culture is the problem, where they turned a coach into a god and that culture is more than just the current students. Sadly, it has to be punished as it particated in this gross crime.
Repercussions of wrongdoing often effect those not immediately complicit, those that help cover this by commission or omission should have thought of the possible ramifications when they were making decisions to act or not act on behalf of the victims. Suspension of the program is a great idea!
Why is not one person mentioning the fact that the Penn State Police knew about this years ago and did nothing and the fact that a retired FBI agent who knew about this waited until Paterno was dead before saying anything? Funny how all of you can agree with this when you have no clue what happened!
This is the second time you have made the accusation that Louis Freeh knew about Paterno covering up the sexual abuse of children at Penn State. I find it strange that the University did not request Freeh to conduct an investigation until November 21, 2011 but yet you have twice claimed that, ”
that a retired FBI agent who knew about this waited until Paterno was dead before saying anything”. Perhaps you could explain.
Complete Freeh report http://www.thefreehreportonpsu.com/REPORT_FINAL_071212.pdf
I see you still like to come after me on here. What a surprise! You know I’m right, so stop bugging me. And he admitted he supposedly knew about it. So explain that to me!
I provided a link to the report. Perhaps you could provide a similar link to show that Freeh, as you state as fact, had been investigating this matter prior to his retirement from the FBI which took place in June of 2001.
The whole situation at Penn State is ugly and unfortunate. There are no winners in any of this. For the time being, removing the statue to some neutral, less prominent location, including storage probably is not a bad idea.
I am no sports fan but just the P.R. on this is awful. In Paterno’s defense, if there is one, he is “old school” and probably had no real idea of how to handle a situation like the Sandusky matter. Paterno should have immediately reported it to the Dean’s office and then had them and their legal team do the right thing. If they would have; who knows? But, Paterno, acknowledging this is not his forte, would have done the right thing and bumped it up the line for management to appropriately handle.
With today’s eyes we can look more at the victims. Way back when, perhaps not so much. Female victims of rape often were not treated much better, either. I’m not trying to justify any of this, of course. However, what happened way back when, one could consider not uncommon for the times.
The statue should be used for scrap metal or simply destroyed rather than place it in storage.
Everyone who knew about the vile misconduct should be punished too. If one of their kids had been abused, it would have been a different story. Very sad.
How exactly should we “punish” Paterno? Maybe dig him, up and hang him?