A Los Angeles judge has cleared the way for a civil lawsuit accusing Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth of failing to stop a student‑run “kissing club,” shifting the case out of private arbitration and into a public courtroom. The suit alleges that older students sexually coerced younger children during school hours, that some incidents were recorded on students’ phones, and that staff members learned of those videos but did not immediately alert parents or law enforcement.
Judge rejects arbitration, sends case to open court
The court ruled that Sierra Canyon’s pre‑dispute arbitration agreement could not block the family’s lawsuit because of a federal law limiting forced arbitration in sexual assault and sexual harassment cases, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. That decision means the case will proceed in open court, triggering public discovery instead of closed‑door arbitration. In a written order, the judge underscored the seriousness of the allegations as both sides gear up for the next phase of litigation.
What the family says happened
The complaint claims that older female students operated a “kissing club” in campus bathrooms that pressured younger girls into kissing, genital touching and, in some instances, oral contact; the plaintiff was 7 years old when the alleged conduct began, the Los Angeles Times reported. According to the filing, teachers later discovered some of the conduct on students’ phones, and one teacher allegedly passed a confiscated phone along to other staff. The parents say they did not learn the full scope of what occurred until another family told them, and they are seeking damages and attorney fees.
Parents allege a cover‑up; school pushes back
Lawyers for the family argue that school officials failed to promptly inform the parents and did not take sufficient protective measures after initial complaints, CBS Los Angeles reported. Sierra Canyon, which has previously said it reviewed concerns raised in summer 2024, responded in a statement that the allegations are “untrue and do not accurately reflect what occurred,” according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. With arbitration off the table, the school must now file a formal response in court, and both sides are preparing to exchange documents and take testimony in discovery.
Why the arbitration decision is a big deal
The judge relied on the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which lets people bringing sexual assault or sexual harassment claims set aside predispute arbitration clauses and proceed in court, according to the bill text and summary on Congress.gov. That law has already been used in multiple recent disputes to shift sensitive cases from private arbitration to public dockets, where internal communications and institutional responses can be probed through discovery. Plaintiff attorneys say that kind of transparency can push institutions to change policies, while defense lawyers often counter that arbitration keeps costs down and preserves privacy for everyone involved.
A powerhouse campus under scrutiny
Sierra Canyon is an independent pre‑K through 12 school in Chatsworth with separate lower and middle/upper campuses and a high‑profile athletics and arts program, according to the school’s website, which lists 2026–27 tuition for grades 9–12 at $48,600. The campus has long drawn attention for its well‑known students and families in the Los Angeles area and beyond, and the lawsuit is adding fresh pressure on how elite private schools handle serious misconduct claims. For now, both legal teams are bracing for a potentially messy discovery fight and an eventual jury trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
