The Worthy Adversary

The Clay Feet of an Ethics Idol

Written by

Joelle Casteix

in

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Business and moral ethics textbook writers need to find a new hero, and FAST. Joe Paterno just isn’t going to cut it anymore.

I’m about halfway through a course in business ethics, which is a part of my track for an MBA. What I found absolutely startling is the fact that in more than half of the business ethics textbooks I have reviewed, Joe Paterno is used as an example of high ethical and moral standards, congruity between formal and informal organizational ethical communications systems (yeah, it’s jargon), and a model of how corporations should construct and define their own ethics and compliance programs.

It looks like he had everyone suckered.

Remember, this is not about legal requirements. This is ETHICS – our conduct in regards to the law AND in regards to those “grey areas.” Yes, Paterno may have fulfilled his basic legal requirements. But his moral and ethical obligations to the victims, the team and the community? Not so much.

Because really, who cares if you have a “clean” football program if you allegedly convince the athletic director of your school to keep his mouth shut about the child molester prowling your locker rooms?

Comments

One response to “The Clay Feet of an Ethics Idol”

  1. Annika Halvari

    I am incredulous that in spite of all the obstacles that this since the time of the Grand Jury report that those who dragged their feet, hoping “down the road” they would never have to deal with this “situation”,
    Sandusky lost all access to children, the abuse was made public (no back room payoffs to retire and go away a La The RCC System), the man was tried, convicted and will be put away for life.

    Why incredulous?
    Because of the 10s X 1000s of victims, worldwide, of Catholic priests whose ‘handlers’ have fought for years to be believed, fought at great cost to-bodies, souls, minds, money, parish communities, to victims and the people trying to be live out their faith in humility (while humiliated by their leaders) who are still waiting for answers, documents that would put an end to all this overnight if the bishops would just turn them over–(The US justice system allowing themselves to appear to the world as impotent beggars standing before the “self-appointed” Mouthpieces of God)…the documents and get on with it once it is known to all (though denied ONLY by the god-speakers and those who have turned their minds over to them) of the acts of these men, some even caught red-handed, and let justice be done.

    No justice can be found in the Church?
    But the ‘heathen’ can accomplish it without breaking a sweat?
    Shameful.

    Reply

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