Protecting our kids comes first

Yesterday, Michigan State University announced a $500 million settlement with hundreds of victims of sports doctor Larry Nassar. More than 300 women and girls said they were sexually assaulted by him.

The college was accused of ignoring or dismissing complaints about Nassar, who victimized young athletes during routine examinations. Often parents were in the room but Nassar concealed the molestation.

During his trial earlier this year, a prosecutor called him “possibly the most prolific serial child sex abuser in history.”

His victims trusted him. He was revered in his field.

He was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison.

Reasonable people can agree that there is no punishment fitting enough for such a monster. Though he will surely die in jail, he is cheating true justice in the knowledge that one day he will be dead and the incarceration will be over for him.

Every person or institution that was in any way complicit or negligent in this case should be made to pay for their part. Nassar sexually abused multitudes of girls including members of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team for years. Olympic gold medalists Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney were among them. It is hard to imagine their fear and pain during a time that should be remembered fondly.

It is appropriate that Michigan State University is being made to pay. There are also pending lawsuits against USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

What happened to these girls was an atrocity. It must never happen again, and there is no measure too tough to make sure it doesn’t. We have a responsibility to protect children from predators, and whether that means tough criminal sentencing or aggressive civil action, we must never fall short of the mark.