The family of NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson has filed a lawsuit against a prominent California private school, alleging that administrators repeatedly ignored complaints and failed to protect their sixth-grade son from racial slurs, physical attacks, and harassment.
The legal action, filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, centers on the 2024–2025 academic year at Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village. The complaint identifies the child as “DD,” a Black student who was ultimately withdrawn from the institution and enrolled elsewhere following the ordeal. The lawsuit accuses the school of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
According to the complaint, the young student was subjected to persistent racial harassment, including being repeatedly addressed with the N-word by classmates. Robert Glassman, the attorney representing the family, stated that Dickerson and the boy’s mother repeatedly reached out to school administrators for intervention, but management allowed the hostile behavior to persist.
Specific incidents detailed in the lawsuit describe a toxic environment spanning multiple school settings. During a school-organized field trip to a zoo, a classmate allegedly compared the boy to an animal while using racial slurs. The same student was reportedly known to bring a knife onto campus, yet the family claims administrators took no disciplinary action regarding either the weapon or the targeted harassment.
In another instance during a music class, students were discussing nicknames when the same student allegedly proposed a moniker that combined a racial slur with the boy’s surname. When the student reported the incident to his teacher, the educator publicly accused him of fabricating the story in front of his peers, according to court documents.
Physical altercations were also reported. In one instance, the lawsuit states that school employees reviewed surveillance footage and confirmed that a student had struck the boy. The response from staff allegedly consisted only of speaking to the student and instructing her not to repeat the behavior.
Seeking structural changes, Dickerson and the boy’s mother met with Vice Principal Tamara Kuku to discuss preventative measures. The parents suggested addressing the student body directly regarding racist language and notifying the parents of students involved in the harassment. The lawsuit alleges the school never implemented these proposals.
Since transferring to another school, the boy reportedly continues to suffer from ongoing emotional and developmental harm tied to the treatment he endured at Oaks Christian. The complaint also highlights past controversies at the private nondenominational Christian institution, which prepares students for college and charges annual tuition of up to $47,930 for grades five through twelve.
The lawsuit references a 2020 petition that gathered more than 8,100 signatures detailing accounts of racism and discrimination at the school. Additionally, the complaint cites a separate legal case involving another Black former student who allegedly faced racial slurs, a mock slave auction, and lynching threats while attending the academy between 2021 and 2024.
