Racial tensions surround Bay St. Louis City Council

Allegations of racism are circulating in Bay St. Louis after a letter targeting a city alderman and the city council’s vote in favor of replacing the only African-American member on the school board.
Racism accusations are spiraling in Bay St. Louis after a vote to replace Joan Thomas, the only African-American on the Bay-Waveland School Board. Bay St. Louis Mayor Mike Favre said, “It was a hard decision to make, but it was the right decision. We put the best person possible to lead our children into the future.”
What the children are led to believe when looking at the school district’s leaders is what concerns Alderman Rev. Jeffrey Reed. “When they look at the school board they don’t see no representation. So, who are they to be like? Who are they to compare themselves with?”
The mayor and council members voted to replace Thomas with educator Anne Lathrop during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. This will be the first time in 20 years that the school board will go without an African American representative. Mayor Favre tells News 25 the decision has nothing to do with Thomas’ race or ethnic background. Reed said, “People are not going to listen to what you’re saying. They’re going to look at what you’ve done and when they look at what you’ve done your words don’t mean anything.”
Also brought up at the city council meeting, a recently received letter addressed to Rev. Reed. The letter starts out calling Alderman Reed the ‘n word’. The racial slur filled letter wasn’t signed. “Somebody who is ignorant wrote the letter. Because I believe our city, our state, our country has progressed way beyond that.”
“Very disturbing. We don’t condone these actions. I don’t. The city doesn’t. It’s not tolerated and it’s unacceptable,” said Mayor Favre.
Mayor Favre says the letter has been turned over to authorities.