Penn State President Eric Barron on Friday asked members of the school's huge community to at least remain polite if they cannot agree with each other nearly three years after the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal surfaced.

HARRISBURG — As fallout over the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal continues, Penn State’s new president and other university officials asked members of the school’s huge community on Friday to at least be polite if they cannot agree with each other.

The 450-word message posted on Penn State’s website from President Eric Barron and dozens of administrators and faculty members comes two weeks into the fall semester and nearly three years after Sandusky was arrested.

It does not mention Sandusky. Rather, it notes that Penn State’s traditional bonds are under stress and cites one issue “of particular concern.”

“There are honest disagreements on fundamental issues related to whether our institution acted appropriately, how our institution handled a crisis, and whether the sanctions that resulted are appropriate,” it said. “Reasonable people can be found on all sides of these issues. The reasons for this disagreement are clear. Much is still left to interpretation and the issues have considerable emotional significance to us all. We are likely never to have the full story. We are equally likely never to reach consensus.”

The authors go on to suggest that rudeness in debating those issues deepens the divide and provides a bad example to students. They give three examples, without naming names: An alumnus who “lost his best friend” over his opinion of a report on the Sandusky allegations that Penn State’s trustees commissioned from former FBI director Louis Freeh; a trustee candidate who faced “dozens of unkind comments”; and a donor “who no longer feels welcome.”

The message drew a strong response from the son of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.

In a blog post, Jay Paterno wrote that “respect is earned and is a two-way street.” He also suggested that Penn State’s administration is fueling the incivility by creating people who feel disenfranchised.

Penn State’s trustees fired the elder Paterno in the wake of Sandusky’s 2011 arrest. He died of lung cancer months later.