A black student charged of racial threats at a suburban high school.

[stinkytofu]

I love how the last few commenters have used rumor and heresay to deflect blame on the school and community.

What about all the lynching threats he sent to the school's black teachers? I'm sure he just wanted to warn them of the horrible dangers that awaited them in Jim Crow Birmingham, right?

Yeah, poor kid; the school made him do it. Obviously he's a victim of blatant discrimination, and the hate messages were just a cry for help...

If the sequence of events occured as noted in this thread, then there is a lot of blame to go around. What he did is completely unacceptable and he deserves to be suspended, if not expelled. However, you can't just ignore the fact that the school administration may not have taken the correct course of action when he was first threatened in the winter.

There are questions to be asked. Related to the December threat, a BPS spokesman claimed a school police liason was contacted regarding the threat, but police claim they have no recollection of that occurring. I'd find it very troubling if Seaholm did not report a racially offensive image with a black student that is being spread around the student body to the authorities. I find it even more disturbing if they claim they did report it, but they never actually did [[as the article seems to state)...

http://www.freep.com/article/2011051...cial-slur-case

[Danny]

Courtney "Isaiah" Thomas, the black teen who wrote racist threats at Seaholm High School was a victim of "Dixieland" style Jim Crow southern culture that was brought into the northern suburban city of Birmingham, MI. [[ an equivelant to Birmingham Alabama.) That motive pushed him to commit a racial crime against white people by using his own race as a backlash tactic to flare up a RACE WAR!

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

For a racial explosion is far more greater than an atomic explosion.

My prayers to Thomas family.

Neda, I miss you so.

[DTWflyer]

I graduated from Seaholm in the late 90's. I think we had less than 10 black students in the school at that time, however there were no problems, at least apparent. Granted, there was nobody trying to stir the pot, from either race.

Groves has traditionally been much more diverse, since it pulled in students from portions of Southfield, West Bloomfield, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Franklin. In fact none of Birmingham actually attends Groves. Seaholm pulls in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, and a small portion of western Troy.

I had many friends at Groves when I went there, of many races. However at the time, Groves had some incidents, that may have been racially fueled. Typically you had some hot heads getting in some fights, but really in the end no big deal and nothing worse than any of your typical high school fights. I seem to remember a few good chick fights when I was at Seaholm, but anyways....

For the comment about the autistic program at Seaholm, the reason they put it there because they had the space. Seaholm back in the 1960-1970s had close to 2000 students, when by the mid-90s was down to about 1000 so they had an entire wing they could use for the program. They put that corporate conference center in at Groves in their underutilized space.

Believe it or not, incidents like this happen in a lot of schools. They don't always make it into the media. Bullying, threats, some racially/gender/orientation related happen in a lot of schools and are dealt with internally. However, because its Birmingham Seaholm, it becomes juicy, sexy news that the media can run with for ratings.

[Bham1982]

There are always many and if Seaholm have someone who have racist views, you better believe there are more so again the question is how many Black students are intimated by these assholes?

No, that isn't the question. The issue is this student's actions, not some allegations of past disputes.

This reflexive need to deflect blame and assign unequal treatment is extremely disturbing.

If this were a white student, you would have Jackson, Sharpton, etc. showing up to protest, and all sorts of invective about racist, Jim Crow suburbs.

But now the student was found to be African American, so his actions are apparently unimportant. We need to get to the "root cause", of course. Maybe his forefathers struggles forced him to do it!

[Bham1982]

IfI'd find it very troubling if Seaholm did not report a racially offensive image with a black student that is being spread around the student body to the authorities.

We already know that Seaholm is extremely proactive when it comes to racist hate messages. After all, they were the ones who reported the threatening letters in the first place.

The issue is with the student's behavior. If there is an issue with Seaholm's response to racial incidents, then why have they been so forthcoming and aggressive these past few weeks?

[gnome]

My heart goes out to all the other children put on the Thomas hit list. Can you imagine their angst these last few months, or the angst of their families? The families had to wonder what kind of city they had moved into. They had to look over their shoulders at their neighbors as well as anyone else in the town. Likewise the larger community had to question themselves as to the source of the hate living within their midst.

[stinkytofu]

We already know that Seaholm is extremely proactive when it comes to racist hate messages. After all, they were the ones who reported the threatening letters in the first place.

The issue is with the student's behavior. If there is an issue with Seaholm's response to racial incidents, then why have they been so forthcoming and aggressive these past few weeks?

The issue at question is why the incident in December was not reported to authorities. Is there a double standard? Since we don't know what that image looked like in December, until we know more about if that was threatening it's impossible for us to know.

BTW - we're in complete agreement about Courtney Thomas being suspended.

[Danny]

Yes, because of that incident. Thomas is suspended and charged with the prosecuter from the Birmingham Police Dept. The white student who posted a "Dixieland" style photograph to a Thomas was suspended. The racial incident and NOT being charged by prosecuter for the Birmingham Police Dept.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET!

Now that's segregation at work.

Neda, I miss you so.

[DTWflyer]

The original issue with the racist drawing back in December didn't get taken to the police because there was no threat. It was handled internally. What would getting the police involved have done? Some schools realize that they are dealing with teenagers and use their disiplinary tools versus automatically refering every incident to the police.

The issue in April went to the police, because there was a threat and this kid told school administration to get the police involved. This guy reported the incident and asked for the police to be involved, yet in the end he was the one that created it! When there are threats involved, then that is when the police got involved.

As for this whole bullying thing and this kid being picked on, how come he has 899 friends on facebook, including from both Birmingham high schools.

Do you really truly believe there is segregation or the administration isn't trying to go by the book? They aren't dumb. The administration at that school is top-notch.

[R8RBOB]

No, that isn't the question. The issue is this student's actions, not some allegations of past disputes.

This reflexive need to deflect blame and assign unequal treatment is extremely disturbing.

If this were a white student, you would have Jackson, Sharpton, etc. showing up to protest, and all sorts of invective about racist, Jim Crow suburbs.

But now the student was found to be African American, so his actions are apparently unimportant. We need to get to the "root cause", of course. Maybe his forefathers struggles forced him to do it!

Well.....since the student is being charged with a crime then his actions is being addressed, yes?

It is amazing how people like to dance around the ugly like you are doing right now. Your attempts to defend the honor of Birmingham is honorable but you really to give up the Jesse and Al hangup. Whites love to throw out Jesse and Al and I think is comical because Jesse and Al are not the leaders of Black America yet Whites continue to throw out these two as if they speak for us. [[truth be told, I would prefer native Detroiter Michael Eric Dyson)

[stinkytofu]

The original issue with the racist drawing back in December didn't get taken to the police because there was no threat. It was handled internally. What would getting the police involved have done? Some schools realize that they are dealing with teenagers and use their disiplinary tools versus automatically refering every incident to the police.

The issue in April went to the police, because there was a threat and this kid told school administration to get the police involved. This guy reported the incident and asked for the police to be involved, yet in the end he was the one that created it! When there are threats involved, then that is when the police gets involved.

As for this whole bullying thing and this kid being picked on, how come he has 899 friends on facebook, including from both Birmingham high schools.

If there was no threat, then I agree that Seaholm did not have to go to the authorities. His attorney said this though in the Freep article...

Thomas' attorney, Wendy Barnwell, said she has heard about an incident where a picture of Thomas was manipulated to show a noose or chains around his neck. She said other students saw it, and a white student was suspended. She is gathering more information about what happened.

The school and attorney disagree on if there was a noose/chains in the image. If there was, then IMO that's a threat that should be reported to police. Frankly, I have no idea what's the truth so I can't say if it should be reported.

[Bham1982]

. Your attempts to defend the honor of Birmingham is honorable but you really to give up the Jesse and Al hangup. Whites love to throw out Jesse and Al and I think is comical because Jesse and Al are not the leaders of Black America yet Whites continue to throw out these two as if they speak for us. [[truth be told, I would prefer native Detroiter Michael Eric Dyson)

I am not "defending the honor of Birmingham". I attended Bloomfield schools, not Birmingham, and I don't presently have kids. I also have some issues with Birmingham schools.

My point is that you [[and others) have responded to this incident in a very race-specific manner. I have no doubt that your reaction would be very different if the color of the assailant were different.

[R8RBOB]

I am not "defending the honor of Birmingham". I attended Bloomfield schools, not Birmingham, and I don't presently have kids. I also have some issues with Birmingham schools.

My point is that you [[and others) have responded to this incident in a very race-specific manner. I have no doubt that your reaction would be very different if the color of the assailant were different.

Well, truth be told, if the suspect was White, I would not reacted differently since the list contained nothing but Black students, however, since the individual who created the list was Black, then the question is why did he create a fake hit list? I would imagine that he was calling out for help. Help with a problem that the administration is not taking seriously but who am I to question what the administration is doing in their school nor question the mindset of a silly little boy.

[Swimmaven]

You're an idiot, I'm an idiot, we're all idiots . . . paraphrasing Columbia, or was it ______[[just lost the name) from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[gnome]

The incident last year which targeted Mr. Thomas was indeed odious; however, it too carries its own backstory and qualifiers. According to the twitt-a-verse the photoshopped pic was an swipe at Mr. Thomas' penchant for throwing the victim card around school. Now, I'm not a parent of a Seaholm student, and have no love for the Fighting Maples, in fact I think the snooty factor there is buried in the red; but apparently the white kid was tired of Thomas' act about being persecuted.

You folks might be aware of local whiner, Greg Thrasher, the fool from Birmingham who sees a Klan rally at every white sale. Thrasher's tiresome act is on par with Thomas and his penchant for throwing the victim card.

This certainly does not absolve the white kid for his tasteless photoshopping, but it places it in a different light.

However, the real issue for Mr. Thomas is the punishment he might face for instilling fear in the lives of his classmates and their families. He terrorized families. Pretty serious stuff for a parent to send their child off to school with the thought in the back of their mind that that child might not come home. How many kitchen-table conversations centered on this fear. How many times did a mother jump out of her skin when the phone rang during the middle of the day? How many times did a father drop his son at school with a gnawing ache? What is the punishment to heal those wounds?

The answer is none. Nothing can salve those wounds besides time. No time in prison, no time with a shrink, no amount of community service by Mr. Thomas will fix this situation.

To be fair, the punishment for white or black offenders would be the same. I recall a couple years back a pair of Melvindale crackers burned a cross on a lawn and are now in Federal tennis camp now. Is that where Mr. Thomas belongs? Will the State spending $35K housing Mr Thomas fix things? Is that the equal, blind and fair thing to do? Everyone equal?

I don't think so.

[iheartthed]

The incident last year which targeted Mr. Thomas was indeed odious; however, it too carries its own backstory and qualifiers. According to the twitt-a-verse the photoshopped pic was an swipe at Mr. Thomas' penchant for throwing the victim card around school. Now, I'm not a parent of a Seaholm student, and have no love for the Fighting Maples, in fact I think the snooty factor there is buried in the red; but apparently the white kid was tired of Thomas' act about being persecuted.

You folks might be aware of local whiner, Greg Thrasher, the fool from Birmingham who sees a Klan rally at every white sale. Thrasher's tiresome act is on par with Thomas and his penchant for throwing the victim card.

This certainly does not absolve the white kid for his tasteless photoshopping, but it places it in a different light.

However, the real issue for Mr. Thomas is the punishment he might face for instilling fear in the lives of his classmates and their families. He terrorized families. Pretty serious stuff for a parent to send their child off to school with the thought in the back of their mind that that child might not come home. How many kitchen-table conversations centered on this fear. How many times did a mother jump out of her skin when the phone rang during the middle of the day? How many times did a father drop his son at school with a gnawing ache? What is the punishment to heal those wounds?

The answer is none. Nothing can salve those wounds besides time. No time in prison, no time with a shrink, no amount of community service by Mr. Thomas will fix this situation.

To be fair, the punishment for white or black offenders would be the same. I recall a couple years back a pair of Melvindale crackers burned a cross on a lawn and are now in Federal tennis camp now. Is that where Mr. Thomas belongs? Will the State spending $35K housing Mr Thomas fix things? Is that the equal, blind and fair thing to do? Everyone equal?

I don't think so.

If this is true that the white kid created the noose-photo for the reasons you said -- and not with the intention to inflict harm -- then you have to acknowledge that the black kid did not intend harm either. The black kid was making his own point, albeit using an ill-advised method.

[bartock]

If this is true that the white kid created the noose-photo for the reasons you said -- and not with the intention to inflict harm -- then you have to acknowledge that the black kid did not intend harm either. The black kid was making his own point, albeit using an ill-advised method.

What? Tasteless photoshopping of a kid in the context of his playing of the victim carm would not equate to a threat. Threatening third party teachers with lynchings, etc. is miles away. It is irrelevant if the other kid wasn't intending anything. How do the teachers know? Not an exact analogy, but similar to you can't point an empty chamber at someone without their knowledge and then say because there were no bullets you never intended any harm.

[iheartthed]

What? Tasteless photoshopping of a kid in the context of his playing of the victim carm would not equate to a threat. Threatening third party teachers with lynchings, etc. is miles away. It is irrelevant if the other kid wasn't intending anything. How do the teachers know? Not an exact analogy, but similar to you can't point an empty chamber at someone without their knowledge and then say because there were no bullets you never intended any harm.

A lot of people, especially black people [[for obvious reasons), will construe a picture with a noose around their heads as a threat.

[bartock]

A lot of people, especially black people [[for obvious reasons), will construe a picture with a noose around their heads as a threat.

Wait a minute. You agreed that if it was in the context of Gnome's post and the kid did not intend to inflict hard other than emotional harm, I suppose, then Thomas was somehow in the same position. Thomas threatened - unequivocally threatened - several teachers while pretending to be someone else. It ain't the same.

[iheartthed]

Wait a minute. You agreed that if it was in the context of Gnome's post and the kid did not intend to inflict hard other than emotional harm, I suppose, then Thomas was somehow in the same position. Thomas threatened - unequivocally threatened - several teachers while pretending to be someone else. It ain't the same.

I didn't agree with gnome. I said that if he's going to take the position that the white kid's intent somehow lessens his culpability then the same stands for the black kid. I haven't offered an opinion on what I think should happen to the black kid.

[bartock]

I didn't agree with gnome. I said that if he's going to take the position that the white kid's intent somehow lessens his culpability then the same stands for the black kid. I haven't offered an opinion on what I think should happen to the black kid.

Gee, wonder what you'd do?

[stinkytofu]

Unrelated note, but this certainly wasn't a good month at Seaholm...sad...

http://detnews.com/article/20110531/...ick-Deane-dies