In the United States, a person charged with a crime remains innocent until proven guilty. For that reason, this article will allow the judicial system sole responsibility to declare judgment on everyone involved in the Penn State abuses case. For that reason, you'll see words like "alleged" in the paragraphs to follow.

Instead of piling more opinion and outrage on this issue, though, let's examine a common-sense lesson that seems overlooked.

Understandable disbelief exists at the apparent lack of aggressive reporting to authorities about events that allegedly took place. Debate swirls about who knew what and when. Mandatory reporting, a moral responsibility to report, and what might have happened with such reporting are topics that provide fuel and fervor to the public discussion taking place on the airwaves, in print, and across the electronic world.

One responder to a news article, who identified herself as a grandmother, made a weighty comment in response to a story focused on the responsibility ...