As cringe-worthy as it sounds to many, a Paterno is back in power at Penn State.
In a statement released via Twitter on Friday, Jay Paterno confirmed that he had been elected to serve on Penn State’s board of trustees. The Centre Daily Times reports he was the top vote-getter in elections and was one of three people elected to the nine seats on the board reserved for alumni.
Statement on the Trustee Election: pic.twitter.com/mhwBPp1cwv
— Jay Paterno (@JayPaterno) May 5, 2017
Paterno is a former quarterback for the Nittany Lions and later coached under his father Joe Paterno, the school’s legendary but tarnished coach. Both were shown the door by the school’s board back in 2012 following revelations in the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal.
The election of Jay Paterno is bound to open up more wounds at the school as he’s been an outspoken critic about how the school has handled his father’s legacy and what he did or did not know about Sandusky over the years. It’s even more interesting because the younger Paterno has been involved in several lawsuits against the school over the years as fallout from the matter as well.
Paterno never did find another college coaching job after being let go five years ago but it appears he’s will still be involved in matters related to the Nittany Lions in the end thanks to this election to the board this week.