Forget Prison, School Psychologist Wants ‘Black Thugs’ Put Down

May 23rd, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: Newsone.com

In racially inflammatory Internet comments news, Mark Traina, a school psychologist in New Orleans, has set off everybody in the parish for his radical solution to misbehaving black children. Traina has been involved in online debates about the Jefferson school system’s treatment of black and special education students and after much discussion he came up with this answer:

“Young Black Thugs who won’t follow the law need to be put down not incarcerated. Put down like the Dogs they are!”

This posting among several others like it were highlighted by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and now Traina is being investigated by his school district, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Comments from Traina on Nola.com and his Twitter feed are no better. He issued this guidance not long ago:

“Serpas should be warning people to STAY THE HELL OUT OF NEW ORLEANS! These Black Dudes will Kill You!”

And bck in April, at the height of the Trayvon Martin protesting, he tweeted whose side he was on:

“Trayvon Martin case 911 call: Screams not George Zimmerman’s, 2 experts say: Zimmerman was the real victim and he held his ground!”

This case brings up the controversial issue of how fair it is to allow one’s comments on social media to affect their professional standing, but in Traina’s case, his remarks may be reflections of his professional behavior—or lack thereof. The complaint to the U.S. Department of Education about Traina’s comments came a day after a federal complaint was filed against the Jefferson Parish Public Schools for alleged discrimination against black students. The SPLC claims that black students are disproportionately referred to alternative schools for minor cases of misconduct such as disrespectful behavior and use of profanity. Although these students make up less than half of the student body, black students account for 78 percent of the referrals. Seeing how Traina feels about black boys, it’s not hard to make the connection. He, on the other hand, sees nothing wrong with these stats. According to the Times-Picayune, he wrote:

“This is just another way to harass the Jefferson Parish Public School System. One only needs to read the Times Picayune to see who the real trouble makers are. Sadly, it is disproportionately young black males. Everyone knows that our jails throughout the United States are disproportionately filled with black people. Why would the rate be any different in an educational environment?

“Even one of the best known Civil Rights Activists in America recently indicated (I won’t mention any names) that it is MUCH safer to walk through a predominately white neighborhood after dark than in black neighborhood.”

What Traina doesn’t acknowledge is how much racial bias plays into the heavier punishments these boys are given—not that it excuses their behavior to begin with. That’s something we have to fix.

What do you think would be appropriate disciplinary action against Traina?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • Dcarter910

    If he is saying something wrong then by all means provide evidence that he is wrong. If he is telling the truth, then let the truth be told even if he is a racist. Even Satan can tell the truth when it benefits him, doesnt change the fact that he is evil. The problem is black people keep pointing the finger at everyone except ourselves. Let me ask this one question and can someone please answer me without excuses about what the white man has did or is doing!! Here goes:

    When an Asian or African moves to this country and even find themselves living in a poor neighborhood going to an underfunded school….why is that never an excuse for them to act like fools, drop out of school, have lots of babies and terrorize their communities? If despite their poverty, and going to a poor school they still go to college and drive BMWs where does the excuses end for Black Americans end?

    Please give reasonable answers and not excuses, if you dont know the difference then I would point to that being the only plausible “excuse”…Black Americans not knowing/understanding the difference between excuses and surmountable explanations. 

    • Msnaimah1985

      Although I agree with you there are many sustainable social and economic reasons that Africans in America are behind other cultures who migrate or come to this country. Slavery, Jim Crow, Discrimination and a lot more factors. kinda like the chicken and the egg thing, Did we as Africans in America get dealt a bad hand therefore we are now behind or are our actions and lack of pursuing opportunities because of our past slavery, Jim crow and discrimination. 

  • Pingback: Forget Prison! School Psychologist Wants "Black Thugs" Put Down! | Z 107.9

  • FromUR2UB

    He is in the wrong profession.  He doesn’t need to be a psychologist, or work with children.

    I don’t care how frustrated some of you are with what goes on in the black community; you do not need to validate this kind of insanity.  If anyone ever decided to try to get a bill passed to “take down black thugs like dogs” – and you know a few innocents would get swept up in that…maybe someone you care about - you’d have blood on your hands just like the criminals.  Some of you really need to take time to think about fallout.  I’m guessing you have lulled yourselves into believing that you and yours might somehow be safe.  But if college-educated, employed black men riding with their children in the car get pulled over and profiled for DWB, then how the hell do you think they’d be immuned to being mistaken for worse?   Be careful what you wish for.

  • Jimmy Swaggerd

    Work hard, raise your family, pay your mortgage, drink a beer, repeat.

    …it doesn’t really matter what douchebags like this douchebag have to say…

  • A.J.

    What’s so disturbing is the fact that this man is supposed to be in a posititon where he’s helping children.  He should be fired immediately, as he lacks the sensitivity and compassion someone in his profession should have.  “Thugs” come in all colors; the fact that Blacks are disproportionately punished and incarcerated says something about the system itself.  Maybe if there were more caring people in the educational system (as well as at home), we wouldn’t have so many Black men in prison.  And that whole statement about white neighborhoods being safer at night is bunk.  As a Black woman, I actually feel less comfortable walking through a predominantly white neighborhood at night.  SMH.

  • Mysign

    Look, I was a teacher at a predominantly black school and I have to tell you, I do not agree with this man at all.  In fact, I don’t think this person should work with children period.  Let’s be honest here, who sells the drugs in our communities? Who commits the murders in our communities? Who terrorizes our communities?  The magic word is “our”.  I’m black; I like to have nice things and I think I deserve to have nice things because I work hard.  I had to move out my neighborhood to have nice things because “thugs” kept robbing me. 

  • http://twitter.com/prfectisshe myprfectimprfections

    lol @ this fool . black thugs huh? what about the white ones who are really behind the crimes? drugs don’t get in black neighborhoods by the tooth fairy. smfh …NEXT!

    • Mysign

      Just because white “thugs” commit crimes too, does that mean we can’t address how the black “thugs” further their agenda?  The real victims here are the poor grandmas and grandpas who deserve safety in the predominantly black neighborhoods and cities but can’t leave.  This dude is a racist but that doesn’t mean he is not telling the truth.  We have accepted mediocrity in our communities for too long.

      • Miss Anonymous

        Im sorry, there is no “WE” in this, SOME have accepted mediocrity saying someone made a mistake. No, that person made a choice. So basically its okay to agree with a racists because they are telling the truth? Im sorry but its not. We are not seen as individuals, one represents the whole race. So if he was to say how black people are some lazy bums who only make babies and collect welfare checks, how the women are fat with short hair, the men dont work and drop babies everywhere would that be okay? If they say something ignorant would saying I have a black friend/family member that says its true be okay?

        • Mysign

          You comment makes sense and I can see your perspective.  I’ll rephrase by saying what was looked down upon in my black community is now mainstream and on television.  If I voice my opinion against something I disagree with, guys showing their underwear, the language, using the n-word, etc, I am labeled a hater.  That’s what I mean by accepting mediocrity.  On another note, the guy is a racist but just because he is a racist, that doesn’t mean I can’t hear what he is saying.  To think like that is like me voting for a specific party and not knowing about the true issues like the tea party does.

      • http://twitter.com/prfectisshe myprfectimprfections

        you’ve got to be crazy! i will never accept criticism from a racist! are you high ? how can he a wm pass judgement over “black thugs” . if he is a racist and you’re blk then he probably thinks you’re a blk thug. there is no filter or picking with ppl like that. but you are obviously young and got a lottttt of living to do. you’ll get your “wake up” call. and p.s. it is sad for the grandmas and grandpas, very sad but see this is much bigger than blk thugs. and some of those grandma and grandpas need to stop enabling they’re overgrown relatives living there and on drugs /selling them. they’re a part of the problem too.

        • Mysign

          Let me get this straight. 
          You attack me and make excuses for the terrorist element (the thugs, the
          drug dealers, the murderers, the thieves). 
          About my age, I’m in my mid thirties, my eyes are open, and I volunteer
          and mentor, and actually am involved with at risk kids.  That doesn’t mean I can’t acknowledge the
          reality of the situation.  I don’t care
          what that man would think about me, I was just acknowledging a real problem.

          • http://twitter.com/prfectisshe myprfectimprfections

            this man’s term of blk thugs probably means anyone who is young and blk sorta like trayvon martin. but again your opinion and thanks for the “input” . *moving along*

  • SLAbron2001

    Don’t know anything about the white thugs, but is was 2 black thugs that robbed me at gunpoint as I tried to enter my home. This has NOTHiNG to do with black men, but the thugs, I can definitely live without.

  • Msnaimah1985

    I hate to say this but until Africans in America’s behave differently unfortunately we are opening the door for these stereotypes. I don’t know how to feel about statements like this. On one and the neighborhood that I lived in for the first 17 years of my life has been terrorized by my own kind, Africans in America. Here’s an idea, for one whole year let’s ignore what everybody has to say about US. Let’s take the pwoer of the pen (MN), the power of thought and the power of petition to correct some of theses issues with Black America. FORGET what other people have to say, we gotta do better before we can demand better. It aint fair, it aint right but it is this life. Spank your kids more, tell other people kids to pull their pants up and stop cursing when you hear them on the bus. Mentor and tutor your younger cousins. DO SOMETHING because this state of being is truly a mess.

    • Sunni

      Africans in America and African Americans are not one in the same; you honestly, sound stupid saying that. You are separating African Americans/Black people from being American; I’m American; I was born in America! Don’t make African Americans/Black people seem like second class citizens being you that term. 

      • Mysign

        So you are taking a comment that made a world of sense and proceeded to point out that the poster wrongly labeled you?  Not only that, you called the person stupid.  Amazing! Let’s grow up shall we?

      • Msnaimah1985

        I say Africans in America because it is different than African Americans! Duhhh sunni! African American is culturally defined as a group of black skinned people who generally live under subpar economic conditions and share a general African Lineage. I do not identify with subpar anything therefore I do not subscribe to the connotation of the word African American, thanks for pointing out the ignorance generally associate with being African-American.

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  • Cleveland

    He said “black thugs” and I agree with him. It is the black thugs who are terrorizing our communities, committing the crimes and making life hell for those who can’t get out. 

    • Gimmeabreak78

      I wish I could high-five you right now.  Although thugs come in every color (and should therefore all be put down), the black ones are the ones who make life a living hell for black gentlemen because unfortunately much of the dominant society cannot tell the difference between one and the other.  The black thugs are the ones who terrorize their own communities, abandon their own children, and make life miserable for the people who are too weak or too poor to escape the madness. 

  • StuckInDaMatrix

    Whites letting blacks know how they really feel!  You ain’t seen nothing yet!

  • Imaqueen79

    And what about white thugs? Interesting how everyone wants to pretend thugs come in one color. Maybe should be put down for his ignorance and callous remarks…especially in his profession.

    • Miss Anonymous

      I have honestly seen more white thugs then black, but wait . . . they are just white teens being “rebellious” who will grow out of that behavior. smh

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