NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson’s family sued a California private school, alleging administrators failed to protect his sixth-grade son from repeated racial slurs, bullying, and physical attacks despite complaints from his parents.
The lawsuit concerns the boy’s time at Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village during the 2024–2025 school year. The complaint identifies the child as “DD,” a black boy who was eventually transferred to another school, the New York Post reported.
Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court last week, the complaint accuses the school of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
The family alleges that students repeatedly called the boy the N-word and that school employees failed to take sufficient action when told about the incidents. Robert Glassman, the family’s attorney, told the outlet that Dickerson and the boy’s mother repeatedly sought help from administrators. He accused the school of allowing the conduct to continue after learning what was happening.
One classmate allegedly used racial slurs against the boy on several occasions, including during a school-organized trip to a zoo. During that outing, the student compared him to an animal, according to the complaint described by the Post.
The lawsuit also alleges that the same classmate was known to bring a knife onto campus. The family claims administrators did not discipline the student over either the alleged racial harassment or the weapon.
Another incident occurred during a music lesson when students were talking about nicknames. The classmate accused of repeatedly harassing Dickerson’s son allegedly proposed a nickname that combined a racial slur with his surname. When the boy told his teacher what had happened, the teacher accused him of making it up in front of other students, the complaint alleges.
According to the lawsuit, school employees reviewed video footage and confirmed that the girl had struck him. The complaint alleges that the school’s response was limited to speaking with her and telling her not to repeat the behavior.
According to the complaint, Dickerson and the boy’s mother met with Vice Principal Tamara Kuku to discuss ways to address the problems. They proposed talking to students about racist language and notifying the parents of those involved. The family alleges the school never carried out those steps.
After leaving Oaks Christian, the boy enrolled elsewhere; the lawsuit alleges that he continues to experience emotional and developmental harm related to his treatment at the school. The complaint also cites earlier allegations of discrimination at Oaks Christian, arguing that administrators had been warned about problems affecting black students before Dickerson’s son attended.
It references a 2020 petition concerning accounts of racism and discrimination at the school. The petition attracted more than 8,100 signatures. The lawsuit also points to a separate case involving another black former student who allegedly experienced racial slurs, a mock slave auction, and threats of lynching while attending Oaks Christian between 2021 and 2024.
The school is a private, nondenominational Christian institution that prepares students for college. Its published tuition and fee schedules list annual costs of up to $47,930 for new students in grades five through 12, depending on the payment arrangement, according to the Post.
