The family of Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson is suing Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California, alleging the private school failed to protect his son from repeated racial harassment, bullying and physical assaults during his sixth-grade year (2024-25 school year).
The lawsuit was filed Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to USA TODAY / Ventura County Star reporting. USA TODAY Sports obtained the complaint, which was first reported by the Ventura County Star. Dickerson himself is not named as a plaintiff; his son is identified in court documents as a minor and has since transferred to another school.
The complaint alleges students repeatedly directed racial slurs at the boy, including during a school-sponsored zoo field trip, where a student compared him to an animal. The same student was known to carry a knife on campus but faced no meaningful discipline, according to the complaint.
In another incident, a female student allegedly struck the boy on the head during lunch, took his food and poured out his water. School officials reviewed video footage of the incident but responded only by speaking with the student, the complaint says.
When the boy reported a racial slur used in a classroom discussion about nicknames, his teacher allegedly accused him of lying in front of his classmates.
Family attorney Robert Glassman said: "Instead of stopping the abuse, the school allowed it to continue." He added: "This is ugly bullying of the worst kind. It's racial. It's racially motivated."
The school disputes the allegations. "Oaks Christian School is committed to the dignity of every student, consistent with our Christian faith... The school disputes the allegations regarding its conduct and will respond through the legal process," the school said in a statement.
The lawsuit also references a separate 2024 case by a Black student alleging years of racist harassment at the school, including a mock slave auction and threats of lynching. The school said it investigated that case and permanently removed three students. The allegations in the new lawsuit have not been proven in court.
Why it matters: A Hall of Famer's family is taking a $47,000-a-year private school to court over alleged unchecked racism — and this is the second such lawsuit against the school in two years.
Sources: USA TODAY / Ventura County Star reporting | EURweb | BlackSportsOnline