NEW ORLEANS — Several New Orleans schools have announced they will not march in the Mystic Krewe of Nyx for the foreseeable future.
All KIPP schools and St. Katharine Drexel Prep announced they would no longer march in the parade after Captain Julie Lea made a controversial social media post stating "our souls are the same color #AllLivesMatter."
The statement "All Lives Matter" has been seen as a writing off of the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality and systemic racism in America.
RELATED: Nyx Captain lays out plan for reconciliation after hundreds leave krewe over 'All Lives Matter' post
"In light of recent developments and the stance of the organization in not supporting the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement currently taking
place in our country," St. Katharine Drexel Prep board chair Melody M Robinson wrote. "We cannot support an organization that is tone deaf to the plight of people of color in our country."
So far, 14 schools total have stated they will not march in the Nyx parade until changes are made.
"It would be untrue to the soul of KIPP New Orleans Schools, which believes deeply in equity, hope and community, to continue to support the Krewe of Nyx," a statement signed by leaders of KIPP's 13 schools said. "Your captain’s comments are outrageous and insensitive, and we cannot support an organization that does not believe that the lives of our Black students, families, teachers and staff matter."
Several float lieutenants and krewe members left Nyx after attempting to get Lea to apologize for the social media post and explicitly back the Black Lives Matter movement.
According to former Nyx Lieutenant Gigi Saak, members asked Lea to promote African American members of the krewe to the board of directors and to explicitly say "Black Lives Matter" on social media. Lea allegedly refused to do either.
After that, those same members called for Lea's resignation.
In a letter signed by 27 Nyx Lieutenants, members called for Lea's resignation by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 8, and said they would resign if she didn't step down.
More than two dozen lieutenants resigned alongside hundreds of the krewe's members when Lea refused to step down.
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