Charges: St. Paul Teacher Touched Student Inappropriately

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 47-year-old St. Paul teacher is accused of inappropriate sexual contact involving one of his students, according to charges filed Monday in Ramsey County Court.

Vam Ntxaij Yajzt was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the incident, which happened May 7.

According to the charges, officers with the St. Paul Police Department were called to Washington High School at 1495 Rice Street on a report of a teacher who grabbed a student inappropriately. The victim told police that Yajzt was the teacher in question.

She told police he wrote her a note after the first period that she come back to see him during the second period because he had work for her. The complaint states she went to see him between 8:50 and 10:15 a.m. They were along in the room together and he asked the girl about her relationship with her boyfriend. She told him everything was going well, and he put his hands on her shoulders and told her he hoped everything was all right.

According to the complaint, he asked to take a photo of the girl and he grabbed his cell phone, which she thought was unusual but was OK with. He was having difficulty taking a photo so she told him she would text a photo to him because she wanted to get back to class.

The complaint states Yajzt then reached out his arms and hugged the girl, sliding his hands down to her hips. He eventually touched her buttocks and squeezed it before the girl flinched and turned around. As that happened, he put his right hand on her right breast. She told police she walked out of his hug because she felt violated but never told him to stop because she was shocked by his actions.

She told police she viewed Yajzt as a father figure and they had never had sexual conversation or spent time together outside of school. The complaint states she had called him four times on his personal phone to discuss a relationship problem, she trusted him and he listened to her problems.

Officers contacted Yajzt, but he declined comment.

The St. Paul School District released a statement that they had learned about the charges late Friday afternoon. The incident was reported to the St. Paul Police Department and the Minnesota Department of Education. He has been placed on administrative leave as the incident is under investigation. Yajzt was hired in August 2004 as a social studies teacher.

If convicted, Yajzt faces up to 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.