Reunion letter causes stir

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ST. MARTINVILLE, La., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A letter for a Louisiana high school class reunion caused a stir with an event labeled "white graduates only," officials said.

The St. Martinville Senior High School class of 1973 has always held separate reunions for black and white students, but this year decided to all celebrate together, KATC-TV, Lafayette, La., reported.

"This year, 2012, was going to be the first year that we were going to integrate it," said Liz Chance, one of the organizers of the event.

Chance said when the group of organizers first got together, they originally planned to keep the reunion segregated, but then decided to make the change. The controversy was sparked when someone prematurely posted the letter online that still said "white graduates only" were invited to an after party event.

"And this is just a start it's a beginning, it needs to go forward. I don't understand why this went the way it did," Chance said.

St. Martinville Senior High School Principal Michael Kreamer said Friday he wasn't happy with the news and that the high school was not involved.

"I'm just a little disappointed that something like this comes up." Kreamer said. "I don't think that it looks good for the school, but again as I said it has nothing to do with St. Martinville Senior High. So I hope people don't take that the wrong way."