> if he goes right to the police, the administration fires him for not going through the proper University channels first.

You can't fire an employee for reporting a crime to the police.

Particularly when it's nationally beloved Coach Joe Paterno.

Had Penn State been stupid enough to try (inconceivable), Paterno would have filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit, which he would easily have won through settlement. Not to mention that the board of trustees would have instantly quashed any such firing.

Arguably the most influential person on campus, Paterno had a colleague's eyewitness account of a heinous crime committed on campus, within spitting distance of his office, and he chose either to cover it up or to acquiesce in a cover-up. Not only that, he kept working with the alleged perpetrator on a daily basis. Something's very wrong with that picture.

It's an interesting question whether all those concerned might not be liable - civilly at least - for enabling a pedophile to commit further assaults.

If anybody thinks that McQueary is off the hook because he was afraid of losing his own job, he couldn't have been fired either. Not that his graduate assistant job could begin to compare with the safety of a child - or children.

(McQueary's father apparently didn't urge his 28-year-old son to call the police either. What a bunch!)