Marcereau Law Group Announces Lawsuit Against Oaks Christian School for Years of Racial Harassment

Westlake Village, CA – October 18, 2024 – The Marcereau Law Group has filed a lawsuit against Oaks Christian School on behalf of a young African American student, alleging that the prestigious private institution allowed a culture of racism and harassment to persist unchecked. This lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeks to hold the school accountable for the egregious racial bullying the student endured over several years.

As outlined in the complaint, the student was subjected to repeated racist taunts and physical harassment, including being called the n-word in front of both students and teachers, threatened with lynching, and forced to endure a mock "slave auction" where white students debated how much he could be sold for. Other students reportedly used a phone app to simulate whip sounds as they followed him around campus. Despite being aware of these incidents, the school’s administration took no meaningful steps to stop the abuse, instead telling the student to "buck up" and endure it.

A History of Racism Ignored

The allegations are not isolated to this student’s experience. Oaks Christian has a documented history of racial issues that the administration has repeatedly failed to address. Several years ago, dozens of alumni signed an open letter calling on the school to confront the pervasive racism on campus. Although the administration promised to investigate, the promised changes never materialized.

"This is behavior that would be shocking in the 1950s, let alone in 2024," said Rob Marcereau, lead attorney at Marcereau Law Group. "We’re filing this lawsuit to ensure that our client, and other minority students at Oaks Christian, no longer have to live in fear and endure this kind of abuse. This conduct has been tolerated long enough. Oaks Christian needs to be held accountable."

The student, referred to as John Doe in court documents, is currently a senior and has struggled to cope with the harassment. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Doe said he often felt so unsafe at school that he would wait for hallways to clear before walking to class and ate lunch in classrooms to avoid the common areas where the bullying was rampant.

Despite its commitment to a Christian-based education, Oaks Christian’s administration did little to protect this student or provide a safe learning environment. The lawsuit alleges that the school's inaction was not only negligent, but violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in educational institutions. The plaintiff is seeking damages for emotional distress and other harms caused by the school’s failure to act.

Our lawyers help victims of School Bullying, Hazing, and Abuse.

The full complaint can be accessed [here].

For more information on this case, see the recent Los Angeles Times article    

A PDF version of the article is [here].

Read the featured VCStar 

About Marcereau Law Group

The Marcereau Law Group is a premier civil rights and personal injury law firm based in California. With a proven track record of success in complex litigation, we are committed to fighting for justice on behalf of individuals whose rights have been violated. Our dedicated team of attorneys takes on powerful institutions and ensures that the voices of those who have been marginalized or wronged are heard.

At Marcereau Law Group, we don’t just win cases; we effect change. Our work extends beyond the courtroom, as we actively seek to improve societal standards and corporate accountability, ensuring that wrongdoers are held responsible. Our deep expertise in civil rights, combined with a relentless pursuit of justice, makes us a powerful advocate for our clients.