Family of NFL Hall of Famer sues California school over alleged racial bullying of son

Family of NFL Hall of Famer sues California school over alleged racial bullying of son.

Key points

• Dickerson, 66, played primarily for the Rams during his Hall-of-Fame career and rushed for 2, 105 yards in the 1984 NFL season, a record that still stands.
• Dickerson, the former Los Angeles Rams star who set the NFL's single-season rushing record in 1984, is not named as a plaintiff in the case.
• Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @AlexMartinUSAT or via email: [email protected].
• "Oaks Christian School is committed to the dignity of every student, consistent with our Christian faith, " the school remarked.
• It's racially motivated, attorney Robert Glassman informed ABC7 Los Angeles.

Notably, the family of Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson is suing Oaks Christian School in California, alleging the private school failed to protect his son from repeated racial harassment, bullying and physical assaults during his sixth-grade year.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit, filed Oct. 15 in Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by USA TODAY Sports, alleges the Westlake Village school failed to adequately address reports of racial abuse despite repeated complaints from the family. The school has disputed the allegations and remarked it will respond through the legal process. The news was documented by the Ventura County Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Dickerson, the former Los Angeles Rams star who set the NFL's single-season rushing record in 1984, is not named as a plaintiff in the case. His son, identified in court documents as a minor, attended Oaks Christian during the 2024-25 school year before transferring to another school, according to the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, the complaint alleges that students repeatedly directed racial slurs at the boy throughout the school year, with one student identified as a primary aggressor.

During a school- field trip to a zoo, that student allegedly applied racial slurs and compared Dickerson's son to an animal, according to the complaint. The lawsuit additionally alleges the student was known to carry a knife on campus but faced no meaningful disciplinary consequences.

In another incident, a female student allegedly struck Dickerson's son in the head during lunch, took his food and poured out his water. The family claims school authorities reviewed video footage of the incident but responded only by speaking with the student and telling her not to repeat the behavior.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit further alleges that when Dickerson's son documented a racial slur employed against him during a classroom discussion regarding nicknames, his teacher accused him of lying in front of his classmates.

According to the complaint, Dickerson and the boy's mother met with school administrators to discuss the alleged harassment and proposed measures to address it, including speaking with students regarding racist language and contacting the parents of students involved. The family alleges those steps were not adequately implemented.

"This is ugly bullying of the worst kind. It's racial. It's racially motivated, " attorney Robert Glassman informed ABC7 Los Angeles. "And it's just the last thing as a parent you want to hear from your kid when they come home from school."

Oaks Christian acknowledged the lawsuit in an official note and disputed the allegations regarding its conduct.

"Oaks Christian School is committed to the dignity of every student, consistent with our Christian faith, " the school remarked. "We are aware of the lawsuit. The school disputes the allegations regarding its conduct and will respond through the legal process."

As the case involves minors, it would not comment on individual students or the specific allegations, the school continued that.

In practice, the lawsuit additionally references previous allegations of racial discrimination at Oaks Christian, including a separate case filed in 2024 by a Black student who alleged years of racist harassment by classmates. That complaint described incidents including a mock slave auction, racial slurs and threats of lynching. Oaks Christian remarked at the time that it investigated the noted harassment and permanently removed three students from the school.

Dickerson, 66, played primarily for the Rams during his Hall-of-Fame career and rushed for 2, 105 yards in the 1984 NFL season, a record that still stands. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

For context, the allegations in the family's lawsuit have not been proven in court.

Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @AlexMartinUSAT or via email: [email protected]. For extra high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around family of NFL Hall of Famer sues California school over alleged racial point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.