Distance Learning Penn State Scandal

As I was sitting at home watching the news with my roommates the announcement came on about Joe Paterno getting fired. I had no idea what for and didn't really pay that much attention to it. The next day in two of my classes, this was the main topic of discussion which is what got me to do more research on the subject on my own. I think that what has happened at Penn State is a very awful and sad thing and I feel terrible for all of the victims. The social media has had a huge role in getting this story out to the public and has made room for many people to express their concerns and opinions about the scandal. For the most part, I think that what the social media is doing is a good thing because you can hear what others think and can have interactions with others who feel the same way you do but on the flip side I think that not everyone takes it seriously and will post things that are not true or relevant to the topic.

Issues of power, media, and deviance can be seen intersecting in our society almost all of the time. People who are in positions of power tend to think that because of their status they can get away with deviant acts and that the punishments for their actions will be less severe than someone who gets in trouble for the same things on the street. I think that as a society we let them believe this to be true because we see it happening all the time. Celebrities get away with crimes all the time and often only serve sentences for a few hours if they even see jail time at all. The way media gets involved with these things is because as soon as the media gets a hold of these stories it blows up, the stories are all over the place.

I think that from a functionalist's perspective this situation would serve as a perfect example of how as a society we have to work together to maintain the overall good. It was Paterno's job to report what he heard to the authorities to ensure the safety of the children. He did not do this which is why there is so much controversy and chaos. Overall, I think that the actions of Penn State to fire Paterno was the morally correct thing to do. He should not get away with his actions because he is the head coach at a university. I know the die hard fans would not agree, but there is more to life than college football. The safety of children should be the main focus of this scandal not the university losing a coach. Paterno built up his legacy at Penn State, but I think because of the choices he made, he will be forever remembered for this horrible scandal and not the wins or loses of his football teams.

Stephanie Jarrett

Kin 332i