Mark Traina, New Orleans School Psychologist, Stirs Up Firestorm With Tweets About 'Black Thugs'

A school psychologist in New Orleans is under fire for posting racially inflammatory comments online amid a debate about the school system's treatment of black and special education students.

The Jefferson Parish school system is investigating Mark Traina after some of his postings -- including “Young Black Thugs who won’t follow the law need to be put down not incarcerated. Put down like the Dogs they are!” -- were highlighted by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Traina's comments - including “Serpas should be warning people to STAY THE HELL OUT OF NEW ORLEANS! These Black Dudes will Kill You!” - were posted on his Twitter feed and on the NOLA.com Website. In an April Tweet, he wrote that 17-year-old Trayvon Martin's killer George Zimmerman was "the real victim and held his ground."

The civil rights group complained to the U.S. Department of Education about Traina's comments the day after filing a federal complaint against the Jefferson Parish Public Schools for alleged discrimination against black students, reports WWL-TV. 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. Though they make up less than half of the student body, black students make up 78 percent of the referrals.

The fact that Traina, who works with troubled students in the district, posted such racially provocative comments provides further evidence of this discrimination, SPLC lawyer Eden Heilman tells the Times-Picayune. Traina told the paper in his defense that his comments are personal and "don't represent the Jefferson Parish school system." Traina wrote, according to the Times-Picayune:

"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," he wrote.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[stellajoy55]

05:13 PM on 12/21/2012

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[stellajoy55]

02:36 AM on 07/25/2012

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[FATUOUSCRA]

03:07 AM on 06/29/2012

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[Hellman]

06:22 PM on 06/24/2012

I knew kids who were victims of being put in special ed schools. These kids were quiet, but they were getting bullied and becoming depressed. Instead of punishing the bullies, school psychologist like Mark Traina punished the victims.
My solution for making sure people like Trania can no longer hurt kids is to only a psychologist that is from a parent's medical plan to evaluate their child. If the parents do not have medical coverage that covers therapy, then so be it.

[PlsReadDeeply]

07:10 PM on 06/23/2012

If I could speak to this man here is what I would say:

Mr. Traina; I will give you the same advice I gave Wanda Brown when she complained that she was "tired of being called racist." I applauded her weariness; this is no time to harbor one's prejudices. There is no longer any excuse for it when so much knowledge is at our fingertips.

I understand that racism is systematically institutionalized in this country, and that some people have a tougher time than others weeding it out of their psyches. But it is worth the effort, always.

There are several ways to eliminate racism within yourself. If you look online there are books that may help you along you on your way: try "Uprooting Racism" by Paul Kivel, and there is website called The Community Toolbox, which teaches strategies to reduce racism and prompts the reader toward "cultural competence in a multiracial world."

Finally, Mr. Traina, I hope that you will evolve and take you fellows with you. Try eating in an African American-owned restaurant, or shop in an African American-owned store,take walk in an African American neighborhood, take a class in racial sensitivity. Befriend someone you never would have before today. I promise that if you do these things your world will open up. To quote Marvin Gaye, "only love can conquer hate."

[imperial2topaz]

12:21 PM on 06/23/2012

Sadly, it has to come to someone being so frustrated over this dilemma, to make inflammatory remarks, which gets attention. He shouldn’t be reprimanded, but commended for having the courage to speak out. It seems, no one else is courageous enough. Unemployment, poverty, etc., to some degree a contributory factor, however, the bulk of mayhem stems from shared cultural norms and being raised in a chaotic environment, by dysfunctional parents.

[sharonsugarfoot]

02:12 PM on 06/22/2012

Black people need employment. When human beings are employed they have good self esteem that they are good citizens in this Great United States of America that we love. But nowdays, when human beings are unemployed and cannot have the things needed to survive as a human being like food, clothing, education, bank loans, decent housing, heat, ariconditioning, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, and ect causes humans to automatically go into survival mode. The only thing to do is to steal, sell drugs, prostitute and other illegal activity to survive. Some made a way to survive like creating rap music, which is not hurting anyone and better than stealing. When one race of people who are more gainfully employed can't understand this then they are racist. The white race and other races of people that are lucky enough to be employed don't have to resort to suvivor mode to exist. When a group of people refuse to acknowledge this, and turn a blind eye to the truth about African American and their many inventions and contribution to make this country great and uses one stroke to judge them all it is profoundly racist and very hateful. Until you have walked in another human's shoes then you can't judge that person let alone a whole race. That's why in the last chapter God is the judge.

[PlsReadDeeply]

07:13 PM on 06/23/2012

Bravo, Sugarfoot!

[clearthinker2008]

01:47 PM on 06/13/2012

Nothing more fun than hating the blacks!

[radarz]

03:31 AM on 06/11/2012

realtalk : I" sincerely hope you do not base innocence or guilt on an image, on something so superficial".

lolol you mean 2 images don't you.

[Cinderz]

07:49 PM on 06/10/2012

Except for his reference to "dogs," everything else this man said is, sadly, just him stating the facts of his experience in the public schools. When 78% of referrals are black kids, and less then half the kids are black, that means blacks are disproportionately misbehaving. Society seems to think that suspensions, referrals, expulsions, etc. are decided at random and schools must just be racist to have such disparity in the race of those who "get in trouble." Newsflash - you have to do something wrong to get in trouble for it. Schools cannot suspend or expel without documentation from teachers. "Disrespect" once is not the same as a child who is continually disrespectful each day and, consequently, gets a short suspension. The second child didn't get suspended because of his race but due to the severity of his behavior. If you're not an educator, you need to get out of the discussion of discipline in schools because you have no idea what teachers and administrators have to deal with.

[Willie Pagan]

10:35 AM on 06/12/2012

like ur post very much... right on the money

[clearthinker2008]

01:54 PM on 06/13/2012

No, he's not "on the money". But whatever, there is no convincing the convinced.

[PlsReadDeeply]

08:33 PM on 06/23/2012

It sounds like you believe that violence, thug-like behavior and a propensity for trouble rises out of one's genetic makeup. I can assure you, it doesn't. Take the next step to understand why minorities have such a tough time in our society.

Ongoing joblessness, poverty, a lack of options for young minorities are the causes for the very behavior you describe. In non-integrated racially imbalanced schools, those schools attended largely by black children are severely and regularly underfunded. This is so because public schools are funded by property taxes, and in black neighborhoods the taxes are lower, hence the lack of funds for black children's education.

Young people forced to live in poverty have worries you cannot begin to understand... unless of course you try.

Hunger, a parent's inability to pay both the rent and the utilities means the child faces having their electricity or heat shut off, home evictions, unsafe living conditions, the list goes on. Children become frustrated and act out. School should be a safe place for ALL children. Those who are troubled should get referred to an agency or social worker that can actually network to help the family, not punish at every turn.

Racism is a complicated subject and a sad reality. It study is a continual question of "why."

[Cinderz]

10:41 AM on 06/24/2012

I believe that poverty or joblessness can happen to anyone, regardless of race. I just don't believe in blaming those conditions on outside forces or society. Sometimes, it is bad luck and there are sad situations that occur, but again, it's not the "fault" of anyone else. If you can't afford kids, don't have them. It's a choice. Otherwise, it's your fault for not paying the bills to keep them comfortable at home so they can learn. If you are a student from such a home, it is your choice whether or not to be quiet in the classroom and do what you're told, or to act out and get yourself suspended, ruining the educational environment for everyone else. There are plenty of social programs to get help and it costs nothing to make education a priority in your home, or shelter, or wherever you end up. And as far as taxes go, the city schools near me get far more money than the suburban ones due to federal programs. The schools get money for the kids who are free and reduced lunch and for the sped populations, which are higher in the poverty stricken schools. I'm not saying that society shouldn't care about the plight of the less-fortunate, but many of those so called "less-fortunate" need to take accountability for their own choices and stop blaming everyone else for their life.

[GundamMars]

04:43 PM on 06/08/2012

While I don't agree with everything this guy says, it is true what he says about this idiotic "Thug Culture" Black America has to endure. People like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton cry about a lot of things but I would like to see them do more to encourage the next generation of Black youths to look down on this side of our culture as self-destructive and pointless. Yet, pop-culture and the media has crafted the illusion that the Thug lifestyle is acceptable for Black youths, but laughabley stupid for any other race to emulate. Whenever a Black "Star" is in the news on Huff it's usually some Thug rapper who's been, arrested, shot, killed, sought for questioning, detain in a foreign country for drugs or has said something stupid he wants to be seen as profound. It's amazing that Black America wants "Thugs" to even be considered a part of our cultural fabric, it's worse than slavery cause we're doing it to ourselves, although some will still blame whites for it. Real Black thugs are a problem for everyone, but most importantly they're a problem for Black America. They should be weeded out by us only.

[maridi]

06:01 PM on 06/11/2012

I agree completely. But I would further that by stating it is absolutely ridiculous for Black America (and everyone else!) to tolerate or excuse bad behavior and "thug culture" with all these implications that black kids/people are just so mindless as to be utterly incapable of resisting the urge to emulate...as if we are so weak-willed we will follow the latest trends or media suggestions without question, sacrificing our dignity and integrity in the process, and white people just need to understand that. Hey, they should even accommodate us, because we're powerless to resist at any age. We can't control ourselves! We're victims of circumstance, media/social pressure, or whatever else we want to use to absolve ourselves of personal responsibility. But one way or another, it's not black people's fault black kids become thugs; it's white people's fault for putting a name on it and calling them "thugs".

[Willie Pagan]

10:40 AM on 06/12/2012

like ur post... terrific..

[Lupis Noctum]

06:29 PM on 06/04/2012

More proof that a college education does not necessarily make one smarter.

I'm sure his comments were taken out of context though... *cough*

[Guns and Ammo]

11:35 AM on 06/02/2012

Pick out a white neighborhood at random. Pick out a black neighborhood at random. Which would you rather walk down the sidewalk at night unarmed? End of argument!

[Willie Pagan]

10:42 AM on 06/12/2012

boy thats dramatic.... but ur right and I have to agree... does that make me a racist...?? I would rather walk in the white neighborhood..... no question about it....

[Guns and Ammo]

09:57 AM on 06/13/2012

It doesn't make you racist. It says you are a person with reasonable intelligence.

[PlsReadDeeply]

07:26 PM on 06/23/2012

Not quite the end; I own my home in a black neighborhood, and have lived in them most of my adult life. I have never had a bad experience with what people like to call "thugs." African American neighborhoods are filled with families just living their lives, like anywhere else. Just because a teenager's pants "sag" or he wears a hoodie, doesn't make him a thug.

Ask me where I'd prefer my wheelchair to malfunction? It happens now and then. In my neighborhood, which I am new to and people don't know me yet, so many people stopped to ask if I needed help I felt quite safe while I waited for my son's assistance.

Maybe if you actually really would walk down a street that is largely populated with minorities you might make some friends and surprise yourself.

[maridi]

06:32 PM on 06/01/2012

Put simply, being black and being a "thug" are two different things...and they should be considered by EVERYONE to be mutually exclusive terms. If you don't think they are, then regardless of the color of your own skin, you have to ask yourself why. As a society, we all need to quit making excuses and blaming each other while the young people run around acting like thugs.

[Willie Pagan]

10:43 AM on 06/12/2012

yes... two different things but statistics prove that its more prevalent with African Americans...

[maridi]

09:27 PM on 06/12/2012

Agreed. But consider the source. Depending on your own perspective and experiences, it's either factually correct or evidence of systemic racism. It is far more complicated than the black and white of statistics (pardon my pun), AND the black and white of racism. A little forgiveness on both sides would go a long way!

[carnelia8]

10:52 PM on 05/31/2012

Keep on listening to these fools! Believe me, society does not want to go this direction. It won't be pretty. They need to keep the s**t to themselves. But they're doing a d**n good job of starting a race war!

[maridi]

11:45 AM on 06/01/2012

Racism is as deeply ingrained in black culture as it is in white culture, and ALL of them are fools who need to keep it to themselves - or more to the point, get over themselves.

You should read the book by William R Jones - “Divine Racism: The Unacknowledged Threshold Issue for Black Theology”, in African-American Religious Thought. Here's a quote from the liberation theologian James Cone (Mentor of the now famous Rev. Jeremiah Wright)

"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community … Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal."

[PlsReadDeeply]

07:44 PM on 06/23/2012

I guess if you're not "the oppressor" you have nothing to worry about. LOL

[CherryDDs]

01:12 PM on 06/11/2012

yeah.. that's right.... sweep it under the rug and evidently it will go away....