I like Chatty less every time I hear a story about him.

I can't really speak about Penn State because my rage is so off the charts. Frankly, I think that the whole football program should be shut down. If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.

If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.

Actually, I think you said it very well.

This is incredibly relatively trite, but OMG, Doctor Who totally used that Omelas plot and I didn't remember.

I'm glad I'm not at the office and not sitting near to the chatty cannibal. I'm sure he'd have something to say that would incite a conversation that would anger me about Penn State, even if it wasn't his opinion that bothered me. He just talks about everything.

I'm taking another sick day today. I'm totally at a loss. Although I do have to choose benefits.

eta:

If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.

It's impossible because it's so true.

Interestingly, in light of the Penn State fiasco, we just got an email from admin reminding us of our legal responsiblities for reporting suspected abuse to DCFS. I suspect that's a reminder none of us really need right now, but I suppose it's always a good thing to keep in mind.

Here's part of the email:

As you likely know, part of the controversy at Penn State has to do with adults having knowledge of the allegations, but not fully reporting that knowledge. Based on Pennsylvania state law, now ex-Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno satisfied his legal reporting responsibility when he reported the abuse to his superior. Conversation regarding Mr. Paterno now circles around whether or not he fulfilled his ethical obligations.

Here is where Illinois law differs from Pennsylvania law: In Illinois, if you are a mandated reported, then you are responsible for making the report to DCFS or ensuring that a report is in fact made if you have reason to suspect abuse or neglect.

This also makes me wonder: are college teachers/admin/coaches considered state mandated reporters like Pre-K-12 teachers?

If the culture is so fucking warped that that damn game is more important to these people than the hell those children went through and will continue to have to deal with, then I think that culture should be torn down.

This.

ION, I spilled coffee on my laptop this morning and now half of my My Documents folder is missing. I suspect this has more to do with my drying off the keyboard while the computer was still on than the coffee directly. Oops.

This also makes me wonder: are college teachers/admin/coaches considered state mandated reporters like Pre-K-12 teachers?

Not in any state where I have lived. I'm a manadatory reporter, but only because I am also a Psychologist.

I want to live in a world where you don't have to be "state mandated" to report an adult raping a child to the police. Where every adult feels the same responsibility to protect kids, or anyone being abused.

The whole Penn State mess hits close to home here. My life is filled with coaches and athletes. We discussed the likely scenario if one of our coaches encountered child assault in the locker room. Consensus is that calling the cops would be the 3rd thing to happen. After 1. Grabbing the child and moving him to a safe location and 2. Beating the crap out of the perpetrator. So many of the adults in my life are coaches and I honestly cannot imagine them protecting one of their fellows in this case. I'm personally not a violent person, but I know these guys well enough to know that violence is how they would respond to that kind of abuse of power.

I see every single day the relationship between coaches and the children they guide and I can't even express how sick this matter makes me. My experience has been watching boys learn, grow, and succeed under the caring guidance of coaches. The contrast to what I see happened at Penn (and other places of course) just makes me sick.

Sorry, hard to be coherent.