Elite Los Angeles School Confronts Major Scandal as Water Polo Player Files Harassment Lawsuit
An 18-year-old Black water polo player has initiated a lawsuit against one of Los Angeles' most prestigious private schools, alleging he endured years of sexual assault and racial harassment by teammates while school administrators neglected to take action. Aidan Romain, now 18, filed the legal complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on February 27, targeting Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City, its president Richard Commons, water polo program head Jack Grover, and former teammate Lucca van der Woude.
Allegations of Systemic Abuse and Institutional Failure
According to the lawsuit, Romain experienced a "culture of harassment" within the elite water polo program, with incidents beginning in August 2022 when he was a 14-year-old freshman on the varsity team. The complaint details that van der Woude allegedly engaged in non-consensual digital penetration of Romain in multiple campus locations, including the pool, locker room, showers, weight room, and a staircase, with this reported abuse continuing through January 2024.
Romain also faced persistent racial discrimination, with teammates allegedly using slurs and conducting racist attacks. One particularly disturbing incident described in the lawsuit involves van der Woude and teammate Connor Kim whipping Romain in the weight room "in a re-enactment of slavery" while hurling racial epithets, an occurrence that reportedly happened nearly daily for approximately five months.
School Response and Legal Proceedings
Harvard-Westlake has issued a statement disputing many allegations, asserting that the school "treated reports of inappropriate behavior in its water polo program with urgency and seriousness, promptly initiating an investigation and complying with its mandatory reporting obligations." The school added that it cooperated fully with law enforcement.
However, the lawsuit contends that school officials ignored or minimized reports of abuse to protect the team and its star players. Romain's parents reported one assault to water polo head Jack Grover, who allegedly questioned whether their son might be lying. When they escalated the matter to school administrators, the institution reportedly denied receiving any report about sexual assault.
Van der Woude was arrested by Los Angeles police in February 2024 while on campus during school hours. Harvard-Westlake subsequently banned him from campus and prohibited his participation in water polo. According to the complaint, the school facilitated his transfer to Newport Harbor High School by allegedly concealing disciplinary proceedings on official paperwork.
Legal Resolution and Institutional Context
In November 2024, van der Woude admitted in juvenile court to sexual penetration of a minor as part of a plea agreement. The Los Angeles County Probation Department formally identified Romain as a victim in January 2025, and a juvenile court judge ordered van der Woude and his parents to pay over $49,000 in restitution for Romain's legal costs.
Harvard-Westlake represents one of southern California's most prominent private institutions, with notable alumni including Jamie Lee Curtis and Jake Gyllenhaal. The school currently charges $54,900 annually in tuition and ranks among the top five private schools in the Los Angeles area according to Niche. With $832 million in gross assets, the campus features a 50-meter competition pool imported from Italy and is preparing to open a new $200 million athletic complex with an advanced aquatics center.
California serves as the nation's primary hub for water polo talent, hosting approximately three-quarters of all high school players in the United States. This lawsuit raises significant questions about athlete safety and institutional accountability within elite athletic programs at prestigious educational institutions.
