A Black student identified in court papers only as John Doe has sued Oaks Christian School in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging he endured years of racist bullying that included slurs, a mock slave auction in the cafeteria and a threatened lynching by non-Black classmates. The complaint also alleges that school staff witnessed some of the abuse and failed to stop it.
According to the Thousand Oaks Acorn, the lawsuit describes conduct that included “uses of the N-word, taunting based on bigoted stereotypes, a mock slave auction conducted in the cafeteria, and even a threatened lynching.” The filing further alleges that “some instances of the abuse were witnessed by the school's staff, who failed to put a stop to it,” and accuses the campus of negligent supervision and race discrimination in violation of California civil rights law.
The suit claims students debated the plaintiff's supposed sale price during the mock slave auction and that several students threatened to lynch him, according to Black Enterprise. The same report notes the complaint alleges students used a smartphone app to play whipping sounds whenever a Black student walked by.
A Pattern the Lawsuit Says Went Unaddressed
The complaint frames the alleged abuse as ongoing rather than an isolated incident, with the Acorn's reporting citing allegations that “the school's administration and faculty actively chose to ignore the severity of these situations.” The plaintiff says the emotional distress and mental anguish from the alleged harassment led him into therapy, and he is seeking unspecified damages.
Oaks Christian describes itself on its own website as a college-preparatory day and boarding school serving students in grades TK through 12.
School and Plaintiff's Attorney Dispute How an Incident Was Handled
The school has pushed back on the allegations in its own statement, saying that on October 27, 2023, a student told a staff member he had been subjected to student-on-student racial harassment, and that the administration took action right away, investigating the matter and resulting in three students being immediately and permanently removed from the school, the Acorn reported. The school also said it had closely monitored the situation afterward and that no other racist incidents had been reported to it, per Black Enterprise.
The plaintiff's attorney disputes that account, telling the Acorn that the students involved were not expelled but rather were told by the administration that they could enroll elsewhere. The dossier does not resolve which version is accurate, and both characterizations remain in dispute between the school and the plaintiff's side.
Legal Claims and What Comes Next
The lawsuit accuses Oaks Christian of negligence and of violating California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination by business establishments in the state. Complaints alleging racial harassment of students can also fall under federal civil rights scrutiny; the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has outlined the procedures it follows when investigating possible Title VI violations tied to racial incidents and harassment in schools, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Records for cases filed in the county's civil courts, including litigant names, filing dates and available documents, can generally be searched through the Superior Court of Los Angeles County's case access tools, per the court's own guidance.
Oaks Christian has had at least one past connection to prominent football figures: former NFL running back Eric Dickerson was reported by The Athletic to have volunteered as a coach at the school near Los Angeles.
