Midweek Musings - Is the Big Ten Unique in its Scandals?

Penn State - Jerry Sandusky.

Michigan State - Lawrence Nassar.

Ohio State - Richard Strauss.

Nebraska - Maurice Washington.

With news that Nebraska running back Maurice Washington is currently embroiled in a revenge pornography and child pornography scandal - and that it appears that university officials knew of the investigation, but opted to let the running back keep playing - it begs the question: is the Big Ten unique in its scandals?

All of the above named examples are recent scandals at member institutions in which some sort of sexual misconduct occurred, and that university officials at some level were aware of it. Each and every case is different, but the same general theme keeps popping up: someone at each of these universities was involved in some sort of sexual misconduct, university officials at some level were notified, and the wrong response was chosen each and every time.

Is it just happenstance that these scandals keep happening at Big Ten schools? As we all know, sexual assault happens everywhere. Universities, high schools, places of business, in people’s homes. But why is it that the B1G keeps getting hit with these black eyes? Are the administrations at Big Ten schools more morally bankrupt than others? Or is it genuinely random that schools in the conference have had these scandals pop up, more often than other conferences - and the skeletons at other schools have thus far just managed to remain in the closet?

Let’s discuss. But let’s keep it civil. This isn’t an article to rehash the gory details of each and every scandal in the conference, but more an overall discussion of any perceived systemic issues that maybe plague the Big Ten more than other conferences. Is the Big Ten unique somehow?