LOS ANGELES, CA – A Beverly Hills High School teacher has filed a lawsuit against the school district, alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on race. Fashion design teacher Bella Ivory claims her concerns about racism on campus were ignored by administrators, leading to an escalation of discriminatory behavior against her and Black students.
Ivory, who has taught at the school for several years, said the problems intensified after the campus reopened in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I reported to the school back in February 2022 after we came back from COVID, saying, ‘We have a diversity issue on this campus and we need to talk about it,’” Ivory said during a press conference. “My concerns were dismissed, and since then, the environment has only worsened.”
Ivory and her attorney, Brad Gage, pointed to incidents of overt racism, including a video posted online that featured racial slurs and singled out Black students. According to Gage, the video is part of a pattern of harassment on campus.
“We allege discrimination, harassment, retaliation, racial comments, and even physical threats,” Gage said.
One of the most troubling incidents cited in the lawsuit occurred on Election Day 2022, when a group of students rallied on campus in support of then-President-elect Donald Trump. Gage alleges that some students disrupted a meeting of the school’s Black Student Union, which Ivory was leading, in what he described as an act of racial intimidation.
“Beverly Hills High School, and in fact the city of Beverly Hills, have demonstrated racism again and again against its students and its teachers,” Gage said.
Ivory, who is currently on leave from her teaching position, said she fears for her safety. Despite promises from school administrators to address her concerns, Ivory said no substantive actions have been taken.
“I was told there would be a meeting to discuss these issues, but that meeting has never happened,” Ivory said.
Gage emphasized that the lawsuit aims to compel the school to take accountability and implement systemic changes to address racism and discrimination.
“Legal action is often the only way to force meaningful change,” Gage said.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Beverly Hills Unified School District were unsuccessful, as the district has not yet responded to the lawsuit publicly.
The case comes amid a broader national conversation about racism in schools and workplace environments. Advocacy groups have called for increased oversight and stronger anti-discrimination policies in educational institutions to ensure safe and inclusive spaces for all students and staff.
Ivory’s lawsuit seeks damages and policy changes at the school to address systemic racism and create a safer environment for Black students and educators. As the case proceeds, it is likely to draw further attention to issues of diversity and equity within the Beverly Hills school system.
