A private school in Los Angeles is facing serious allegations involving a so-called “kissing club” that has raised concerns about bullying and inappropriate behavior among students.
A lawsuit claims that this club created an environment where older girls engaged in degrading actions, and even young girls, some as young as 7, were allegedly forced to “kiss and touch” older girls’ genitals.
In the lawsuit, a girl known as “EK,” now 9, describes being bullied by older girls for months before facing sexual assault. The documentation, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, reveals that EK endured slurs and harassment, particularly related to her use of school restrooms.
Her mother, Panthea Kipnis, reported the bullying to the school, even asking for bathroom supervision, but claims no action was taken to safeguard her daughter.
By the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, teachers uncovered the “kissing club” after witnessing two students engaged in kissing in a restroom; it was later revealed that some were filming with their phones, according to the lawsuit.
Inappropriately, a teacher received a clip of this behavior from a student’s phone and shared it with colleagues.
The lawsuit alleges that EK was coerced into joining the club by other 8-year-old girls, who themselves pressured other younger girls to participate. She was allegedly compelled to kiss and, eventually, to touch the genital areas of others.
The escalating conduct, as noted in the complaint, reflects a long-standing lack of oversight that allowed older students to perpetrate sexual assaults against EK and potentially others.
Parents Panthea and Max Kipnis claim the school failed to act appropriately, learning about the assault from another parent whose child had a similar experience.
They argue that the school lacked effective policies and training to handle such inappropriate behaviors among students.
This neglect, according to the lawsuit, led to significant emotional distress for EK’s parents.
Panthea, visibly upset, expressed her anguish: “As a mother, I am devastated that I cannot protect my child from this harm that could have been 100% avoided,” she said during a press conference.
Sierra Canyon School has not provided comments regarding the allegations.
