Sandusky's Second Mile charity: Donate elsewhere

The Second Mile offices are seen on November 9, 2011 in University Park, Pennsylvania. The charity was founded in the 1970s by Jerry Sandusky (inset). / Patrick Smith/Getty Images

HARRISBURG, Pa. - A charity for at-risk children founded by a former Penn State assistant football coach now charged with molesting boys has asked its donors to give their money to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape instead.

The Second Mile made the recommendation Monday in the latest sign its days may be numbered. But the charity said its December programs will continue as scheduled.

The Second Mile was founded in the 1970s by Jerry Sandusky, who was charged this month with sexual abuse of eight boys over a 15-year period. Prosecutors say Sandusky met victims through the charity. He denies the allegations.

Complete coverage: Penn State scandal

Last week, the charity said it was considering restructuring, transferring programs to other organizations or ceasing operations.

Lawyers for one of the people described in a grand jury report as a victim of repeated sexual attacks by Sandusky are seeking a court order to prevent the charity from unloading its assets.

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Penn State said Monday that student government leaders and high-ranking administrators will participate in a town hall forum for students about the child sex abuse scandal that has engulfed the university.

Also Monday, a team with the U.S. Department of Education arrived in State College as part of the federal investigation into whether the school violated reporting mandates for campus crime.

The federal investigation centers on whether reporting provisions of the Clery Act were complied with in the Sandusky case. State prosecutors also charged athletic director Tim Curley and former vice president Gary Schultz with not properly reporting suspected child abuse and perjury before a grand jury.

Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said the university was "pulling a lot of data and archival information" for the Department of Education investigators.

"They will either be meeting with a long list of people even beyond the police force or reviewing their data, areas like student affairs, human resources, counseling services, residence life, athletics and senior administrators," she said.

Penn State President Rodney Erickson, who took the post after Graham Spanier was forced out in the aftermath of the arrests, said the school has been doing its best to provide the records the Department of Education has sought.

Violations of the Clery Act, named for a Lehigh University freshman who was raped and murdered in her dorm room by another student in 1986, can bring fines and a loss of federal student aid.

The student forum, planned for Wednesday at Heritage Hall on the University Park main campus, will be restricted to students who obtained tickets ahead of time by showing valid Penn State IDs. It will be broadcast by the Pennsylvania Cable Network and streamed over the Internet. Viewing areas also are being established at all of Penn State's other campuses.

Erickson and two student government leaders will make introductory remarks, and other participants include several university vice presidents. The moderators are sociology lecturers Sam Richards and Laurie Mulvey. Space for two dozen reporters will be provided at the rear of the hall, but the reporters will not be allowed to ask questions.

The school also plans three forums for students that will be run by its counseling and psychological services center: the first on Tuesday and Thursday this week, and the last on Dec. 7. Potential topics include the criminal allegations, Penn State's image, the reactions of others to the scandal and stress.

The scandal has resulted in the ouster of head football coach Joe Paterno and has cast a shadow over one of college football's most legendary programs. Curley has been placed on leave, and Schultz, who oversaw the university's police department, has stepped down.

Schultz and Curley have denied the allegations and await preliminary hearings next month. Sandusky acknowledges he showered with boys but says he never molested them.

Paterno, major college football's winningest coach, is not the target of any legal investigation but has conceded he should have done more about allegations against Sandusky. Spanier has said he would have reported a crime if he had suspected one had been committed.

[Shanan_52]

Callous failings to protect children from predators and cover-ups calls for urgent training of future victims, children and families, in order to groom children for a life of molestation, be raped, or murdered, and prepare families for the lose their child. Classes may offer ways of how to succumb to cover ups, how to accept and live with a corrupt judicial system (see "kids for cash" or "Penn State", "judge"), how to accept and live under predatory leaders and public servants committing and covering up atrocities, and more. Sedatives may be offered, and the Justice Department, FBI and other law enforcements may offer future victims and families their expertise on how they cover up crimes, and how to accept the inevitable. Since accomplices are left to live a scot-free life, training should be cost free for future victims and families. The sooner children and families enroll in training the easier it will be accepting and getting use to such a state of affairs.
Inputs and suggestions on the program welcomed at Shanan Doah on facebook.

[Republicans_Lose_In_2012]

Man, that Sucks...

[pschms]

Next person to be investigated should be Tom Corbett, who got a HUGE amount of money donated to his campaign from Second Mile Board/PSU members...so they would not be investigated while he was AG? So he would give Second Mile a $3 mil. grant even though he knew Sandusky was being investigated? Because he promised to sweep this information under rug in order to get campaign donations, then bailed when elected?

Corbett had information that these children were being abused FOR SEVERAL YEARS, yet accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from people involved with Second Mile, was on PSU Board..in order to finance his own political agenda.

He is as guilty as Paterno.

[Pattypye]

I nominate this for the most unnecessary announcement of 2011.

[EarleJoey]

Yeah--were people still going to donate to Second Mile anyway?

[djseavy]

This will stir the pot, but one of the accusers asking for an injuction against the charity throws a dark cloud over the entire case. If this case was completely about justice, that motion would have never been made. All it does is tell the whole world that the attorney plans to go for a huge cash award. I thought justice was about seeing an offender prosecuted and given the appropriate punishment. It's unfortunate that the sex abuse cases have turned in to a cash cow. It has to make me wonder how many are true, and how many are simply a way for some people to get money.

[evanherik-2009]

I disagree. There's more to justice than simply punishment of the guilty. There's also the issue of compensating the victimized.

[Lerianis4]

djseavy, I agree totally. If someone had forced me into sex against my will as a child, I wouldn't want one PENNY from them because it would be tainted money.
Yes, this does throw a dark cloud over the entire case and make it appear to be about money.

Which, by the way, most of these allegations are about when it comes down to brass tacks.
That or getting revenge on someone for ending a relationship years ago that you have been brainwashed into thinking that you were 'forced' into it when you could have easily ended the relationship before it even got started by? Threatening to tell your parents about or actually telling your parents about someone sexually propositioning you.