It started with a short clip on Fox News and quickly spread across X. The claim caught attention fast.
A Chinese investment firm owns hundreds of American schools. Some of them are right here in Nevada.
That alone doesn’t prove wrongdoing. But it does raise fair questions.
And those questions deserve calm answers, not panic or finger-pointing.
What’s Actually Happening
The private school network at the center of the discussion is Spring Education Group, often called SEG.
The company operates more than 200 private schools across 19 states, serving preschool through high school students.
Since 2017 and 2018, SEG has been majority owned by Primavera Capital Group, a Beijing-based private equity firm.
That ownership structure is not disputed. SEG’s own corporate history confirms it.
In Nevada, SEG operates under the Merryhill School brand.
These are private schools and preschools concentrated in the Las Vegas and Henderson areas.
Here are the known Nevada locations:
- Merryhill School Summerlin in Las Vegas. Preschool through 6th grade.
- Merryhill School Durango in Las Vegas. Preschool through 8th grade.
- Merryhill Preschool on Alta Drive in Las Vegas.
- Merryhill Preschool in Centennial Hills near Grand Teton.
- Merryhill Preschool in Henderson on Green Valley Parkway.
These schools advertise strong academics, STEM programs, arts, and character education.
Importantly, there is no public evidence that they are teaching political ideology or promoting the Chinese Communist Party.
Why the Concern Exists
The concern isn’t about what teachers are doing in classrooms today. It’s about ownership, oversight, and transparency.
Xi Van Fleet, a survivor of China’s Cultural Revolution, raised alarms in a Fox News segment about what she sees as a long-term strategy by the Chinese government to influence American education.
She pointed to past efforts like Confucius Institutes on college campuses. Those institutes were later shut down or rebranded after bipartisan concern in Congress.
According to reports from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Center for Immigration Studies, current U.S. law places few restrictions on foreign ownership of private K through 12 schools.
That gap has drawn scrutiny but little action.
By some estimates, more than 50,000 students nationwide attend schools connected to SEG.
Again, ownership alone is not proof of influence.
But critics argue it creates risk, especially when the foreign investor is based in a country openly hostile to the United States.
What Critics Push Back On
Others say this concern is overblown.
They point out that private schools still follow state education rules. Parents choose to enroll their children.
No evidence shows curriculum changes tied to foreign ownership, and Primavera and SEG have denied any ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Nevada leaders haven’t taken formal action on this issue. Other states have.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis removed state voucher eligibility from SEG-linked schools in 2023, citing national security concerns tied to ownership.
For Nevada parents, the questions are simple.
Who owns the school, who oversees it, and whether current laws give families enough transparency to make informed choices.
That’s not paranoia. That’s basic accountability.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
