Damning texts revealed between Harvard-Westlake admin and Lucca Van Der Woude

A water polo star accused of racially abusing a black teammate and subjecting him to sexual assault at their $50,000-a-year non-public college in Los Angeles apologized for his actions in damning texts, court docket paperwork present.

After quite a few alleged racial incidents in opposition to scholar Aidan Romain together with every day racial slurs and digitally penetrating him on campus, teammate Lucca Van Der Woude wrote the message within the group’s group chat, the lawsuit alleges.

“I wish to apologize for all the things that has occurred. Many of the points have been my fault and I’m sorry,” he allegedly wrote on January 26, 2024, in line with the swimsuit.

“I do know it hurts the group and I’m very sorry for that. I promise to be higher transferring ahead.” he continued. The swimsuit factors to the textual content and says “Lucca Van Der Woude acknowledged his wrongdoing.”

The papers allege Van Der Woude and two different teammates repeatedly subjected Romain, who was a minor on the time, to racist and sexual abuse between August 2022 and February 2024.

Harvard-Westlake College, which has annual charges of $52,500, allegedly didn’t report, examine, or take protecting measures after being informed concerning the reported abuse, in line with the lawsuit.

One other textual content from Janine Jones, who served as Harvard-Westlake’s assistant head of college for neighborhood and belonging, was additionally talked about within the papers.

Jones allegedly despatched Romain’s mother and father the message after they reported by way of e-mail their son had been sexually assaulted in February of 2024 by a teammate within the college’s out of doors showers. 

“I needs to be seeing Aidan shortly … however I don’t wish to make him uncomfortable by checking on him,” the textual content begins.

“I do know your e-mail was directed in direction of Terry, Matt, and Jack re not discussing the assault however I wished to examine with you simply to verify.”

Harvard-Westlake, via its attorneys, denied it obtained any report from Romain’s mother and father that he had been sexually assaulted, in line with the lawsuit, which factors to the textual content as “contemporaneous proof.”

A Harvard-Westlake spokesperson informed the California Publish that it “unequivocally disputes many of those allegations that mischaracterize info and the colleges actions.”

“The varsity handled reviews of inappropriate habits in its water polo program with urgency and seriousness, promptly initiating an investigation and complying with its obligatory reporting obligations,” the spokesperson stated, including that the college “additionally cooperated fully with legislation enforcement.”

The swimsuit alleges the extreme emotional misery ultimately compelled Romain to relocate to Barcelona, Spain, in 2024 to proceed his water polo coaching in a secure surroundings.

Van der Woude as soon as thought of a future Olympic prospect, is in hiding after the bombshell lawsuit was uncovered.

The 18-year-old, who’s the son of longtime movie assistant director Thomas “Basti” Van Der Woude, was nowhere to be discovered when The Publish visited his mother and father’ palatial house in Costa Mesa.

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