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Angry parents want board member to resign over Facebook post

After public comment Whitlow apologized. He also posted an apology on Facebook after he deleted the original post.

AMITE – Residents and parents at the Tangiphoa School Board meeting on Tuesday called for the resignation of School Board member Mike Whitlow.

Whitlow re-posted a controversial Facebook picture which included a noose and the quote, “If we want to make America great again we will have to make evil people fear punishment again.”

Many found the post offensive.

"What you've done is drag us back into the 19th century, one speaker said, "You're (Whitlow) an intelligent man. You're intelligent enough to get elected to this board, that means you knew exactly what you were doing."

Dozens of speakers took to the podium at the school board meeting voicing their anger.

My daughter spends her waking hours with you guys. "How am I supposed to trust that the quality of equality for her is the same as the next kid? Because you have people like Mr. Mike on your board,” one parent said.

Several people called for Whitlow’s resignation.

“I am making it my mission that if there's not a resignation, I will make it my mission to make sure that person is removed from the board,” Erica Williams-Bell, Ponchatoula attorney, said.

One man did take the microphone, saying Whitlow's post was taken out of context, saying when he saw the post he thought it was related to the recent school shooting that occurred in Florida.

"The school board member who made that post was talking about justice. He didn't mention anything about race. I know that was not his intention," the man said.

After public comment Whitlow apologized. He also posted an apology on Facebook after he deleted the original post.

“At this time, I am not prepared to resign. I've talked to my family,” Whitlow said at the meeting. "I will ask at this time Madam President that it will be in the best interest of the board and system if any leadership positions that I have you can remove me from those immediately."

Antionnette Harrell wants more than an apology.

"He needs to go. Because if that would've been an African American, or any other person of color, they would be gone," Harrell said.

School board members say they hope this can be the beginning of healing and those who left the meeting said they are not finished and won’t stop until some action is taken.

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