'Racist Nazi!': Outburst At Hinsdale D86 Meeting

DARIEN, IL – A Hinsdale resident called another a "racist Nazi" Thursday near the end of a three-hour meeting of the Hinsdale High School District 86 board.

During public comments, resident Andrew Catton, who lost in his race for school board last year, began by noting board member Asma Akhras' statement on bridge building. He said it was a change from hiring "professional political agitators to make fake websites about your competition."

"With your racist diatribes," interjected resident Reid McCollum, who created such a website.

Board member Jeff Waters then repeated several times, "Point of order."

McCollum stood up and shouted to Catton, "You racist Nazi!"

McCollum got his jacket and left.

Hinsdale resident Reid McCollum (right, in plaid shirt) applauds John Bowman, co-president of Hinsdale High School District 86's teachers union, at Thursday's school board meeting (David Giuliani/Patch)

The outburst was the only one during Thursday's meeting. That was despite an unusually tense meeting, with union supporters showing up in force against board President Catherine Greenspon. Most of the audience was long gone by the time McCollum heckled Catton.

During last year's election, McCollum admitted on Facebook that he created a website domain for Catton.

In his post, McCollum admitted to lying to Akhras at first that he did not create the Catton website. But he later acknowledged his work. At the time, Akhras said she asked McCollum to step away from her campaign.

McCollum said he was proud to make known Catton's "troubling" views, which he said Catton himself refused to publish on his own website.

He said Catton mispronounced Akhras' first name, which he noted when he objected to Catton's statement. He said he "can only assume" the mispronunciation was intentional.

McCollum is liberal, while Catton is conservative.

In an email to Patch on Tuesday, McCollum said he was a volunteer for Akhras' campaign, not an employee. He said there was no false information on the website in question.

McCollum said he has not worked for any candidate, but for a Democratic political action committee, sending messages to voters focused on voting information.

"Those messages are non-partisan and encourage people to vote. I have never worked for any other political organization whatsoever," McCollum said in the email. "Prior to 2021, I worked professionally at a large e-commerce industrial supply distribution company."

In 2021, Catton started speaking at school board meetings, saying critical race theory was influencing the district's operations. Conservatives made similar allegations about schools around the country.

During his 2023 campaign, Catton said the theory was not being taught in the district.

Catton was a critic of former Superintendent Tammy Prentiss, while McCollum was a supporter.

In last April's election, Kay Gallo, Catherine Greenspon and Akhras won seats on the board. Akhras finished third with 19.8 percent of the vote, edging out Catton, who drew 18.4 percent.