SUNBURY -- Penn State football fans, students and alumni reacted quickly, and in some cases emotionally, to news of the Sandusky sex scandal that first hit the news on Saturday night.
A freshman, only identified as Lion95, wrote on the popular Lion 247 website, "Apparently, Sandusky has been working out at the PSU facilities up until just a month ago. Yes, that's correct, seven months after the grand jury investigation started. This is just sickening. Clean house, NOW!"
Let's not convict everyone yet, said Bill Whaley, a self-described fanatical PSU supporter from Selinsgrove. "Did you ever hear about innocent until proven guilty? I'm not doubting Sandusky's role in all this. But before we convict the others, and blame Joe Paterno, let's hear all the facts."
And Lori Walters, of Sunbury, hanging out a popular restaurant-sports bar at the Susquehanna Valley Mall on Monday night, said she was disgusted by the whole thing.
"I'm a graduate," she added. "I'm a fan. I'll always be a fan. But to think all this went on during those great championship years? Wow."
Meanwhile, Penn State's starting quarterback Matt McGloin on Twitter, was noncommittal.
He said, "I can't comment on what is going on with these allegations and scandal, which has spread throughout the university."
Attempts to reach Curt Rothermel, president of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Penn State Alumni Chapter, were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, at Bucknell University, which had its own bad experience with a staff member accused of sexual misconduct involving young boys, declined to comment.
Susquehanna University spokeswoman Angela Burrows said, "We conduct background checks on all new employees. In addition, we require sexual molestation prevention training of all employees who have any interactions with minors."
If an employee witnesses inappropriate behavior or is aware of it, she continued, he or she is required to report it to a supervisor, who would then report it to law enforcement officials. That said, any employee who would rather go directly to law enforcement is not discouraged from doing so. Susquehanna has a confidential reporting campus hot line. Any employee can call to report misconduct.
According to officials from the Snyder County Children and Youth agency, mandated reporters are required by law to report suspected child abuse immediately to Pennsylvania's ChildLine based on their medical or professional training or other experience.
Mandated reporters include:
n Health care professionals -- physicians, medical examiners, dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, podiatrists, psychiatrists, psychologists, interns, nurses, public health department personnel, funeral directors, and hospital personnel.
n Law enforcement -- police officers, sheriffs, county detectives, coroners and court officials.
n Social services professionals -- social service workers, childcare workers, and clergy.
n Education professionals -- teachers, principals, school administrators and counselors.
n Anyone who as part of his or her job has contact with children.
