BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — A gym teacher at Woodlawn High School has been placed on paid leave following allegations of sexual misconduct, capital area education officials say.

A lawsuit filed by a former Episcopal High School of Baton Rouge (EHS) student identifies the teacher at the center of the allegations as Vincent Hoang.

The former student, identified in legal documents as ‘Z Doe,’ and her mother are suing both EHS and Hoang.

They claim that during the 2020-2021 school year, Hoang repeatedly sexually harassed Z Doe and when she approached EHS administrators with allegations against him, she was interrogated and made to feel as if she’d encouraged the illicit behavior.

Legal documents obtained by BRProud detail a series of shocking allegations made against Hoang.

The lawsuit starts off by claiming that in 2017, Hoang had a sexual relationship with a different Episcopal High senior, got her pregnant, and continued to repeatedly solicit other female students for sex. The document goes on to state that his actions in this regard were, “well known at EHS and among its administrators.”

Z Doe says she was one of the many female students Hoang targeted.

One of his methods, according to the lawsuit, was to frequently invite Z Doe and other teenage girls to “hang out” in his classroom for long periods of time. Legal documents say school administrators were aware of these meetups.

The lawsuit adds that as time went on, Z Doe turned 18 and Hoang began intensifying his sexual advances. It cites several examples of such advances, claiming Hoang began openly saying he wanted to have a “mixed baby” with her and started touching her without consent.

One especially disturbing incident mentioned in the lawsuit claims that while Z Doe and other students were with Hoang in his classroom, he forcibly grabbed her and began rubbing himself against her to the point of producing an erection.

The lawsuit states that, “this behavior by defendant Hoang was open, obvious, and pervasive” and that “Hoang’s classroom was clearly visible to several teachers and Administrators who did nothing to stop the behavior.”

Z Doe claims these kinds of blatant acts of sexual harassment stirred up gossip among her peers, which negatively affected her reputation and embarrassed her.

According to Z Doe, one of her friends eventually urged her to go to school officials and complain about Hoang’s behavior.

Upon taking the friend’s advice, Z Doe’s lawsuit says she was repeatedly pulled out of class “in front of her peers and interrogated.”

The lawsuit adds that during at least one of those exchanges, a school official essentially accused Z Doe “of causing defendant Hoang’s sexual interest in her” and that Z Doe’s “parents were not immediately notified nor present during any of the interrogations.”

Shortly after the series of interrogations, Hoang was fired from EHS.

But Z Doe claims repercussions from his sexual harassment continued.

Her lawsuit says after Hoang lost his job, a number of students were upset with her and blamed her for Hoang’s termination, some even began harassing her on social media.

According to the lawsuit, when Z Doe brought this harassment to the attention of EHS officials, the school did nothing.

Eventually, due to the situation, Z Doe left EHS, and Hoang apparently, found work at Woodlawn High School.

But his job as a Physical Education teacher at Woodlawn did not last long.

According to a Wednesday, October 12 news release issued by East Baton Rouge Parish School System, though Hoang is currently on paid leave, the agency’s Office of Human Resources intends to submit a recommendation for termination to Superintendent Sito Narcisse.

Mr. Hoang is being placed on paid Administrative Leave, and the Office of Human Resources will submit a recommendation for termination to the Superintendent based on the nature of the allegations. Mr. Hoang was hired as a Physical Education teacher for Woodlawn High School on August 1, 2022.

Ben Lemoine, Director of Communications & Public Relations, EBR Schools

Hoang had been working at Woodlawn High for less than three months when he was placed on leave and in line to be recommended for termination.

BRProud will continue to follow this lawsuit and provide readers with updates from authorities and related sources.