Las Vegas Educator Faces Serious Charges Over Classroom Conduct
A fifth-grade teacher in Las Vegas is confronting multiple criminal charges following disturbing allegations from students about his classroom behavior, which included calling young girls "gold diggers" and engaging in a pretend stabbing game.
Allegations of Inappropriate Behavior Surface
On February 25, a parent contacted emergency services to report concerning conduct by a teacher at Wing and Lilly Fong Elementary School in Las Vegas. The teacher was identified as 51-year-old Kha Nam Nguyen, who has been employed by the Clark County School District since 2007.
Police responding to the call met with school administrators and interviewed multiple students. According to their statements, Nguyen openly favored female students, making comments about their bodies and complimenting a girl's legs. He allegedly referred to the girls in his classroom as "gold diggers" and threatened to "chop off" their hair if he discovered they were dating boys.
Disturbing Classroom Games Described
Students reported several alarming games initiated by their teacher. One called the "teddy bear" game involved Nguyen pretending to cry until a student approached to comfort him with a hug. He would then pull students onto his lap and refuse to release them, even when they appeared uncomfortable.
More frightening was the "knife tag" game, where Nguyen would retrieve a large knife from his classroom closet, turn off the lights, and announce "let's play tag" while warning students to "better start running." Multiple students told police he would point the blade at them and pretend to stab them, leaving them frightened. Police later confirmed finding a knife matching the description in his classroom.
Additional Concerning Incidents Reported
Students described Nguyen having frequent temper outbursts, including screaming at children. One incident involved him allegedly flipping a student's desk over, stepping on their belongings, and throwing a book at them. Several girls reported he would touch their faces and play with their hair, telling them to "rest their weight on him," which made them feel uncomfortable.
Another teacher came forward, telling police she had warned school administrators about Nguyen after he made unwanted advances toward her and offered her gifts she did not want.
Teacher's Explanation and Legal Consequences
When police interviewed Nguyen on March 13, he reportedly admitted telling boys not to date girls because "they were gold diggers." He claimed his actions were meant to "entertain the students" and that he had been "doing some of these acts for years." Regarding the desk-flipping incident, he insisted he was trying to help a student find a lost pencil.
Nguyen has been charged with seven counts of child abuse or neglect and seven counts of unlawful contact with a minor. He posted $15,000 bail but must stay away from the school, avoid contact with minors, and wear an electronic monitoring device. His employment status with the school district remains unclear, and The Independent has requested comment from district officials.
