Minnesota Finds a Scapegopher
On November 10, 2011, the Penn State Nittany Lions head football coach Joe Paterno was fired for his involvement or lack thereof in the biggest scandal in school history. Former defensive coordinator and football camp coach Jerry Sandusky was accused of sexually abusing several underage boys at Penn State football camps during the summers of the late 1990s among other allegations. A red-haired stepchild (literally) trainer had reported what he saw to Paterno and other school personnel who swept these things under the proverbial rug. Paterno became the scapegoat as he was fired for not reporting the accusations to city and state authorities, namely the police. Every pundit and sports journalist (except yours truly) attacked Penn State and especially Joe Paterno for not reporting these crimes to the authorities and set the standard for future schools to be open and forthright in their dealing with personnel who are accused of sexual abuse.
FAST-FORWARD to August 7, 2015: University of Minnesota Golden Gopher AD Norwood Teague resigned citing ONE instance of sexually abusing and harassing TWO U of MN female employees after Teague had drank too much during a university function. Minnesota let Teague resign, hoping that everything else would go back to normal immediately. However, Amelia Rayno of the Star Tribune also stated that she was abused as much as three years ago when Teague was hired. Then more allegations came out of the woodwork including two lawsuits that were settled during Teague's days at Virginia Commonwealth University. WHAT DID THE U of MN do? Nothing. Instead of making everyone else responsible for sweeping things under the rug like the Penn State scandal, the Minnesota board of regents and University President Eric Kaler have not fired anyone else or resigned their own positions. Instead, the Gopher head football coach Jerry Kill has received a raise and a contract extension. Should he even have the job? Should the school even have an athletic program? Where is the outrage? Why are the sports writers leaving Minnesota alone? Isn't it high time to call for the jobs of all those involved like the situation in Penn State? These questions must be answered soon. If Minnesota wants any credibility as a school and state of ethics, then many personnel must be fired immediately. VCU should do the same. Norwood Teague also must serve time in a Minnesota prison even if the state's sex offender program needs to be overhauled.
FAST-FORWARD to August 7, 2015: University of Minnesota Golden Gopher AD Norwood Teague resigned citing ONE instance of sexually abusing and harassing TWO U of MN female employees after Teague had drank too much during a university function. Minnesota let Teague resign, hoping that everything else would go back to normal immediately. However, Amelia Rayno of the Star Tribune also stated that she was abused as much as three years ago when Teague was hired. Then more allegations came out of the woodwork including two lawsuits that were settled during Teague's days at Virginia Commonwealth University. WHAT DID THE U of MN do? Nothing. Instead of making everyone else responsible for sweeping things under the rug like the Penn State scandal, the Minnesota board of regents and University President Eric Kaler have not fired anyone else or resigned their own positions. Instead, the Gopher head football coach Jerry Kill has received a raise and a contract extension. Should he even have the job? Should the school even have an athletic program? Where is the outrage? Why are the sports writers leaving Minnesota alone? Isn't it high time to call for the jobs of all those involved like the situation in Penn State? These questions must be answered soon. If Minnesota wants any credibility as a school and state of ethics, then many personnel must be fired immediately. VCU should do the same. Norwood Teague also must serve time in a Minnesota prison even if the state's sex offender program needs to be overhauled.
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