MSU in the National Press

It looks pretty bad. A mic in Izzo's face and him stonewalling. Damning copy in the NYTimes, on ESPN, etc. about Travis Walton being allowed to coach... but then, the court said he could. Not wanting to cover for Tom, but does the U want to tell him to issue a sanction when a court will not? If that's the case, then we have a whole lot of work to do.

Yes the U had to be sued on FOIA grounds for info regarding cases of sexual assaults involving athletes. Yes they redacted names that the ELPD and others did not. Yes the U has a vested interest in brand protection. The U also has a vested interest in protecting students in their care.

So. Who among the public understands the law regarding release of information, and specifically names of those involved? I don't. Police departments aren't charged with protecting the privacy of those named in reports, are they? I don't know. Are schools? I don't know. I think they are. I know about FERPA. I would think that would bar a school from disclosing names. But...

I do know it looks really crappy.

At one of my districts we had a 4th grader caught with weed. The mom complained to the press that the school had suspended him but had not contacted her. She provided the suspension letter (which she claimed came to her well after the fact of the suspension) and the camera cut to the document, which named the kid, and the administrator, and the whole shootin' match. On TV.

So if the school had released that info, they would be in trouble. As I say about these things, they could be sued, but anybody can be sued for anything. The issue is, can the suit be successful? In this case, had the school made the info public, you betcha. Bring the suit, and win, mom. Settle out of court for moola.

But I think MSU's resistance to name names and share narratives is borne of two parents, as mentioned above; brand protection, and in loco parentis.

I also think there's more to the story relative to guidelines, or lack thereof, for handling these cases. Will there be bar/drunk/assault/sexual assault issues with 17- to 25-year-olds in and around college towns? Um, yeah. The bigger the school, the more issues.


Which brings me to, what protocols are in place, for reporting to Title IX offices, and/or law enforcement entities? And as I've written elsewhere, what specific disciplinary guidelines are in place for sanctioning, and supporting, students, and yes athletes, who are involved both as perps and as victims?

So I wait for more to be reported. I'm not going to judge Izzo or Dantonio (accused of a wrist-slap) based on Freep news. I have had to adjudicate disciplinary cases, hundreds. Yes, on a whole different level, but I had the power to suspend, and ultimately to recommend expulsion, in student disciplinary cases. And I've done that. And it ain't easy. Each case is different, and each individual is different.

If Sparty has a pattern of sweeping the reports of girls and women regarding sexual abuse and assault under the rug, go after the U. The Nassar case? Without question. Too many reports, and the power dynamics are so vivid. This is not date-night he-said she-said.

As to the athletes? Possibly problematic. Fumes of sexism, certainly of favortism. Maybe even likelier than "possibly". But, give me more about the guidelines are for coaches in these fact situations. I've not seen a smoking gun yet. Brand protection? You bet. Who wants their program accused of harboring predators? Athlete privilege? Probably. Circle the wagons and keep it quiet.

But if, and this is a biggie... IF coaches have NOT reported, THEN we have something.

Show me.

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