Paterno, Penn State President Out

UPDATE, 11/14/2011: It was announced this morning that The Second Mile board of directors have accepted the resignation of Jack Raykovitz.  He had been CEO of the organization for 28 years.  Read more about this breaking story on our website.

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No doubt you have heard of the shocking child sex abuse scandal that has come out of Penn State.  Although it was former defensive coordinator, and founder of the charity The Second Mile, Jerry Sandusky who has been charged with allegations of sexually abusing children, much of the discussion has centered around top Penn State officials.  Two officials, Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz, have already been charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse.  But much of the questioning has been directed towards legendary football coach Joe Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier.  And late last night, those two men became the first two to take the fall in this scandal, as the Board of Trustees at Penn State voted unanimously to relieve them of their duties.

The news broke late last night, only hours after Paterno announced he would retire at the end of the season.  The man affectionately known as "Joe Pa" said he was "devastated" by the developments and urged the Board "not to spend a single minute discussing my status."  Apparently they didn't take too kindly to that suggestion.

For Paterno, it's an unfortunate ending to a career that spanned 61 years.  He is the winningest coach in major college football history, leading Penn State since 1966 and turning it not only into a successful football team but an iconic brand in the sports world.  Even if you aren't too familiar with college sports, you probably have heard about Joe Paterno

All of this discussion about Paterno, Spanier, and other Penn State officials obscures the serious crimes for which Sandusky is being accused.  Reading the Grand Jury testimony (WARNING: Contains graphic descriptions) from wide-receiver coach Mike McQueary, who alleges to have witnessed Sandusky molesting a young boy, is chilling.  What's even more disturbing is that because this went unreported to the police, Sandusky wasn't barred from activities with children at his charity until 2008.  That's when he informed them he was under investigation.  And even then, he didn't officially leave the organization until he retired in 2010. 

In yesterday's report on The NonProfit Times, we reported on The Second Mile's tax filings and annual report.  They indicated that the organization experienced a $228,000 operating deficit last year.  In addition, revenue fell to $2.1 million, from $4.1 million in 2008.  The 12-page annual report cited overall giving to charities being down 11 percent last year as the organization’s board used a “rainy day fund to provide needed services” as it “received more requests to help children and teens than ever.”  With these revelations about Sandusky's alleged crimes now coming to light, it's unclear how much longer the charity will be able to operate.

This story will undoubtedly continue to evolve over the coming weeks and months.  Stay tuned to The NonProfit Times for any new information that comes out on the case or the future of Second Mile.