CCSD employee arrested after apparent recording device found in Las Vegas elementary school
By Justine Verastigue and Joe Vigil
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LAS VEGAS (KVVU) — A letter to parents from a Las Vegas school Thursday says an employee was arrested for “electronic surveillance at school without knowledge.”
In an afternoon media release, CCSDPD identified the suspect as Haroon Zakai, 44. He will be on unpaid leave upon release per the negotiated agreement with the employee’s bargaining unit and will not be allowed on campus, according to CCSD.
Principal Anna Cool-MacRae sent the letter from Gwendolyn Woolley Elementary School.
“The safety of our students is the number one priority at Woolley Elementary School,” the letter said. “As always, we want to keep you informed of important matters happening within our school community.”
The letter says an employee was arrested on charges related to electronic surveillance at school without knowledge, attempting to destroy/conceal evidence and monitoring private conversations.
“CCSD Police arrested the individual in connection with an investigation initiated on Wednesday,” the letter says. “The initial investigation indicates the matter only involved adults.”
FOX5 obtained a photo of the alleged recording device, seen above, and spoke to the person who found it.
“I looked at the device and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, this looks like a recording device. What is this doing in here?’” she told FOX5. The teacher put the device on her desk and re-examined it after students were gone.
She says she then got a visit from the suspect, who wanted the device and struggled with her to get it, causing scrapes on her arms. She asked the suspect what he planned to do with the recording device.
“He got on his knees and he’s like, ‘Please don’t tell anybody. Don’t call the cops. This will ruin me,’” she said. “He just wanted to record the kids to try to find words or phrases or certain sounds that can be picked up by AI that would indicate bullying so he can open his own business to create an anti-bullying device that he can sell so that parents are aware of what’s happening to their kids,” she explained.
Teacher Mark Wilson took a photo of the alleged recording device. He says the suspect also came to his classroom to explain things. Wilson takes issue with the school principal’s statement that the matter “only involved adults” when the recording device was in a class with young special needs students. He told FOX5 that district officials told him if he spoke to the media about the incident, he could be fired for insubordination.
“I don’t care if they fire me,” said Wilson.
“I think I would put a vote to the community,” he added. “Would you rather have me teaching your kids, or all the weirdos who go around lying to you that some creep tech at their school was recording their kids and then some creepy school district people say, ‘Hey let’s protect him?’ It’s more important for the public image of the school district. No. Sorry.”
The employee will be on leave and will no longer be allowed on campus. Cool-MacRae says that they are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.
“Please know that this is a police investigation and that we, as school officials, do not have additional information to share,” the principal says.
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