Revelatory Texts Uncover Disturbing Allegations in School Water Polo Scandal
A water polo player at a prestigious Los Angeles private school faces serious allegations of racial abuse and sexual assault against a teammate, as revealed in court documents. The accused, Lucca Van Der Woude, reportedly admitted to his actions in a series of texts sent to the team’s group chat.
According to the lawsuit, the incidents involving Aidan Romain included daily racial slurs and an alleged sexual assault on campus. On January 26, 2024, Van Der Woude expressed remorse in a message stating, “I want to apologize for everything that has happened. Most of the issues have been my fault and I’m sorry.”
He continued, “I know it hurts the team and I’m very sorry for that. I promise to be better moving forward.” This acknowledgment of wrongdoing is highlighted in the legal documents.
The lawsuit claims that between August 2022 and February 2024, Van Der Woude and two other teammates subjected Romain, then a minor, to ongoing racist and sexual abuse.
Harvard-Westlake School, which charges $52,500 annually in tuition, allegedly failed to take appropriate action after being informed of the abuse. The lawsuit asserts that the school did not report or investigate the claims adequately.
Another significant text was sent by Janine Jones, the assistant head of school for community and belonging at Harvard-Westlake. After Romain’s parents reported the sexual assault that occurred in February 2024, Jones texted them expressing her intent to check on Aidan but hesitated due to concerns about making him uncomfortable.
“I know your email was directed towards Terry, Matt, and Jack regarding not discussing the assault but I wanted to check with you just to make sure,” she wrote.
Harvard-Westlake’s legal representatives denied receiving any reports from Romain’s parents about the alleged sexual assault, despite the text being cited as “contemporaneous evidence” in the lawsuit.
A spokesperson for the school stated that it “unequivocally disputes many of these allegations that mischaracterize facts and the school’s actions,” asserting that they treated reports of inappropriate behavior with urgency and seriousness.
The emotional toll of these events has reportedly led Romain to relocate to Barcelona in 2024 to pursue his water polo training in a safer environment.
Meanwhile, Van Der Woude, once seen as a potential Olympic athlete, has gone into hiding following the emergence of this explosive lawsuit. The 18-year-old son of film assistant director Thomas “Basti” Van Der Woude was untraceable when inquiries were made at his family’s home in Costa Mesa.
