Cahokia heist!

Everyone in Cahokia Heights liked Christmas a lot. But the McCalls, who run the town, do NOT!

It could be, perhaps, that their heads aren’t screwed on quite right. It could be that their egos are way out of sight.

But I think the most likely reason of all may be that their hearts are two sizes too small.

Unfortunately, a Grinch-like mentality is the only means of describing the dearth of responsible leadership and lack of transparency and accountability on the part of Curtis McCall, Jr., the superintendent of Cahokia School District 187.

On his watch, the teachers and staff of District 187 have entered into the 2025 school year, and continue to work, without a contract for teachers and staff.

Instead, according to Wendy Lochmann, president of the Cahokia Federation of Teachers (CFT), Local #1272, “District leadership has prioritized politically connected administrative jobs over classrooms.”

… Curtis McCall, Jr. possesses the same arrogance, defiance and reliance upon nepotism and cronyism as his father.

I reached out to McCall, at his office, and was told that he was “in a meeting” but would return my call. I’ve yet to have my message returned.

However, I understand. Curtis McCall, Jr. is a busy man. Since his appointment as superintendent in June, 2023 (which pays $216, 930) he’s hit the ground running.

As the son of Cahokia Heights mayor Curtis McCall, Sr. he wasted no time in creating a $114,591 job for his wife, Krystal McCall, as the Director of Transportation. After all nepotism is a family tradition.

So, it should come as no surprise that McCall would use Cahokia Heights Schools in the same way that his father uses the city of Cahokia Heights, as a hiring hall, for their cronies and family members.

When Cahokia Heights was formed in 2021, Curtis McCall, Sr. hired convicted political felons like JoAnn Reed and LaMar Johnson into high profile patronage roles and granted his son Kerchavian McCall a $67,450 job with the water department.

His brother in-law, IL State Senator Christopher Belt, also received a position as the Superintendent of Commonfields of Cahokia Public Water and Sewage District, a position which Belt refused to describe during that time.

Fast forward to 2025 and Curtis McCall, Jr. possesses the same arrogance, defiance and reliance upon nepotism and cronyism as his father.

This time he has Senator’s Belt’s wife, Dr. Scurlark-Belt, on the District 187 administrative team as the Director of Non-certified Personnel. She also serves on the bargaining team for the district and is their HR Director, according to Wendy Lochmann, president of CFT Local #1272.

Some might see that as a conflict of interest for the McCall family. Curtis McCall, Jr., would see it as the perks or privileges of being a part of the McCall kingdom. To hell with the optics.

Lochamann describes District 187 as having an overall deterioration of morale and a loss of experienced teachers, with claims that special education classes are being taught by substitute teachers and believes that that district leadership is systematically trying to gut their contracts.

That may well be true. What’s also true is that parents, students and residents of Cahokia Heights deserve transparent leadership, fair labor practices, competitive pay and a commitment to educational excellence, versus a commitment to political patronage or the usual Cahokia heist that’s been the order of the day since the inception of this community.