Money can buy a fancy school uniform, expensive textbooks, and a seat in a classroom that costs nearly $48,000 a year. But apparently, it cannot guarantee that students will treat each other with basic human decency.
NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson is now facing a deeply troubling situation involving his young son. According to a new lawsuit obtained by the California Post, the boy was allegedly subjected to racist abuse, vicious bullying, and physical attacks by classmates at an elite California Christian school.
Yes, you read that correctly. A school charging almost $48,000 in annual tuition is at the center of allegations involving behavior that should have no place in any classroom.
Dickerson’s sixth-grade son (DD), who is black, was subjected to a year of racial harassment at Oaks Christian School during the 2024-2025 academic year — including being repeatedly called the N-word by classmates, compared to an animal and labeled with a racist nickname, according to the complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court last week.
“His family repeatedly told Oaks Christian what was happening and asked the school to protect him,” Robert Glassman, the family’s attorney, told the California Post. “Instead of stopping the abuse, the school allowed it to continue.”
“No child should be subjected to racial harassment or physical violence at school while the adults entrusted with his safety fail to act,” he added.
Parents pay enormous amounts of money to send their children to prestigious schools. They expect quality education, proper supervision, and an environment where students can learn without fearing harassment.
Nobody is paying nearly $48,000 a year for a premium bullying package.
The lawsuit accuses the posh Westlake Village school of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violating California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
“(DD) was a Black child who came to Oaks Christian School to learn and to grow. Instead, over the course of his sixth-grade year, (DD) was subjected to relentless racial harassment, bullying, and physical assault,” the lawsuit alleges.
One student repeatedly directed racial slurs at the sixth grader, including during a school-sponsored zoo field trip, where the student allegedly compared him to an animal, according to the complaint.
The same student who allegedly leveled the racist attack was also known to carry a knife on campus, yet school administrators imposed no discipline for the alleged harassment or the weapon, according to the lawsuit.
And the word “Christian” in a school’s name makes the allegations even more uncomfortable. Schools built around Christian values are expected to promote kindness, compassion, and respect. Allegations of racist abuse raise difficult questions about whether those values are being upheld.
A female student allegedly struck (DD) in the head during lunch, took his food and deliberately poured out his water, according to the complaint. The school reviewed video and confirmed the assault had occurred, but merely spoke to the female student and told her not to do it again.
The most humiliating episode allegedly unfolded during music class, when students were discussing nicknames. The primary aggressor suggested calling (DD) “Ni–erson,” the lawsuit claims.
“When (DD) reported the ‘Ni–erson’ incident, his own teacher accused him of lying, in front of his peers,” the complaint states.
Schools have a responsibility to take complaints seriously, investigate allegations, and protect students from further harm. Families should not have to wonder whether their children are safe after dropping them off each morning.
The lawsuit puts the school’s handling of the alleged incidents under scrutiny. The legal process will determine how the claims are addressed and whether responsibility can be established.
The lawsuit also points to what it describes as a longstanding pattern of racism at the school.
In 2020, more than 8,100 Oaks Christian alumni signed a petition documenting alleged racism and discrimination experienced by black students over multiple years, according to the complaint.
The complaint also references ongoing litigation brought by another black former student who allegedly experienced racial slurs, a mock slave auction and threats of lynching while attending the school between 2021 and 2024.
A school can have impressive facilities, expensive tuition, and a prestigious reputation. None of that matters if students cannot feel safe, respected, and accepted.
