Kanye West’s Donda Academy Demands Dismissal of Discrimination Lawsuit By Former Teachers

Kanye West’s Donda Academy is seeking to have a discrimination lawsuit filed by former teachers thrown out. The lawsuit, brought by two former teachers, alleges racial discrimination and wrongful termination. The academy denies all wrongdoing and argues that the claims should be dismissed based on administrative procedures.

Raised Concerns

Cecilia Hailey and Chekarey Byers, the only Black teachers at Donda Academy, claim they were fired after raising concerns about alleged health and safety violations. 

They stated that the school did not provide proper training, lacked disciplinary systems, and had no janitor or school nurse. Additionally, they alleged unusual policies such as students only being allowed to eat sushi at lunch, the absence of chairs in classrooms, and classes being held on the first floor due to the music teacher’s alleged fear of stairs.

Teachers Labeled As ‘Aggressive’

When the teachers initially raised questions about school procedures and policies, they were labeled as “aggressive.” The lawsuit, filed in March 2023, asserts emotional distress and demands unspecified damages.

Donda Academy’s attorney argues that the teachers “failed to exhaust internal grievance procedures and administrative remedies,”  before filing the lawsuit. Kanye requested the dismissal of all claims against him, emphasizing his lack of involvement in the school’s day-to-day operations and handling of employment matters.

Despite the lawsuit, Donda Academy denies all allegations and asserts that the entire case should be dismissed. A ruling from the court is pending.

Updated By: Chris Samuel (12/7/23 at 7:00 pm)

Lawsuit Alleges Unsafe Conditions At Kanye West’s Donda Academy

Former Donda Academy gym teacher, Isaiah Meadows, has filed a lawsuit against Kanye West and Donda Academy, claiming that the school had inadequate health and safety measures, including an absence of protection on the windows. This lawsuit adds to the growing allegations of mistreatment and poor conditions at the private school, raising concerns about the well-being of students and employees alike.

Former Teacher Alleges Unsafe Conditions At Donda Academy

The lawsuit alleged that the lack of windows “left students exposed to the elements” because Kanye refused to allow glass to be placed in the building’s window frames. Meadows added:

“In the middle of the main classroom, a skylight was left without glass inevitably allowing rain to fall directly inside, where water would soak into the floor, which would lead to a moldy smell for the next few days… the skylight was intentionally without glass because WEST expressed that he did not like glass.”

Meadows also pointed out “serious wiring issues,” leading to an incident in which an electrical fire was sparked “near the student eating area where wire was laid atop the ground, exposed.” Plumbing was allegedly also a problem, including a septic tank that would “overflow every other day, causing a terrible smell.”

In addition to the unsafe conditions, Meadows alleges that he was not consistently paid for his work at Donda Academy. He further claims he was wrongfully fired after voicing his concerns about the school’s conditions and safety hazards. This lawsuit follows a similar case brought against Kanye and the private school by a group of former employees who alleged that their complaints about low pay and poor conditions were reasons for their termination.

In a statement announcing the latest lawsuit against Kanye and Donda Academy, Meadow’s attorney, Ron Zambrano, called the conditions at Donda Academy “absolutely egregious” and said he and his client “plan to hold them accountable.” The lawyer stated, “the unlawful and retaliatory behavior by Mr. West and the school directors have now been documented multiple times by other former employees who never even worked together but all experienced the same horrendous treatment and witnessed the same serious health, safety and education code violations, while all were subjected to the same fate.”

The lawsuit accuses them of breach of contract and violations of California labor laws, including wage rules, wrongful termination, and improper classification.

Updated By: Nashwa Rockingster (7/10/23 at 2:06 pm)

Former Donda Academy Teacher Says Students May Have Trouble Transferring

According to Cecilia Hailey, a former teacher at Donda Academy, a school founded by rapper Kanye West, many of the students are struggling academically and may have difficulty transferring to other schools. Hailey also claims that the school lacks proper lesson plans, raising concerns about the quality of education provided to the students.

Updated By: Chris Samuel (4/11/23 at 1:47 pm)

Cecilia Hailey, a former teacher at Kanye West’s Donda Academy shared with TMZ that she feels students from the school will have trouble transferring due to them being severely behind educationally.

Hailey added that students at Donda Academy were also not getting graded at the unaccredited school. The setting of Donda Academy is similar to a Montessori school, in which children of multiple ages are in the same classroom and go at their own pace.

Meanwhile, students around the country have been behind academically since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. According to a 2022 New York Times article, most schools had to switch to remote learning, and a study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed that nine-year-olds’ math and reading scores dropped to the lowest point in thirty years.  

Hailey also mentioned that many problems exist at Donda Academy including a lack of chairs, locked front doors, and no structured lesson plans for the students. Topics in history that were avoided were the Holocaust and Black History Month, according to Hailey.

When discussing her departure from Donda Academy, Hailey said that she and her daughter were fired after calling out the school’s flaws and believed that race played a factor.

Donda Academy was briefly closed after West made controversial comments about Jews in a Twitter rant in October 2022. 

Kanye West’s Donda Academy Opens Back Up Shortly After Closing Down

Kanye West’s Donda Academy was reopened after it was abruptly shut down during the ongoing controversy. The news came about when the school recently sent out a letter with further details for parents and staff.

Shortly after closing for a few hours, Kanye West’s private school, Donda Academy, reopened earlier today.

The school sent out a letter that further detailed the reopening and said that the program would return better than ever, concluding that their students could greatly influence new generations.

Kanye West’s Donda Academy Shut Down Until 2023 + What Parents Should Know About The New Private School

The news of the closure was announced in a now-deleted Instagram post. The Yeezy mogul’s school was set to be shut down until the next school year in 2023.

Furthermore, a school representative sent out a statement updating the children and families that the school will be closed for the rest of the year. The abrupt news follows after Kanye’s recent anti-semitic comments. 

Kanye then took to Instagram and hinted at the possibility of building a school in Houston.

Kanye West’s Donda Academy

There has been recent buzz about Kanye West’s Donda Academy. Summer has officially ended, and schools are back in session. Here are all parents need to know about Ye’s private school.

Kanye West and his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian, have not been able to see eye-to-eye on where their children should school. 

Ye is adamant about his children attending Donda Academy, leaving fans to wonder: 

Q: What is Donda Academy?

A: Donda Academy is a Christian private school in Simi Valley, California. 

The educational institution was founded in 2022 by Kanye West and named after his late mother, Professor Donda West. They accept applications from students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. 

Q: How much is tuition and who can attend?

A: The private school is tuition-based, and every student is welcome to apply regardless of their financial situation. 

The tuition fee is $15,000. However, financial aid and scholarships are available for qualifying students.

Q: What is the curriculum at Donda Academy?

A:  Donda students will learn fundamentals, grow in their faith, and attend two enrichment classes that include World Language, Visual Arts, Film, Choir, and Parkour. 

Students will also attend core language arts, mathematics, and science classes. 

Q: Is there a dress code?

A: Students wear all-black Yeezy uniforms supplied by the school. 

The uniform consists of a black shirt with a soaring white dove on the back, black pants, and black Yeezy Foam Runners. 

Q: What extracurricular activities does Donda Academy provide?

A: Students can enjoy activities such as choir, arts, and sports for the next generation of athletes with an innovative approach to faith and teamwork.

At this time, the faith-based school is not accredited. This means graduating seniors may not have their credits or diplomas recognized by specific colleges. 

In addition, according to reports, parents must sign a non-disclosure agreement as an “informal agreement”  before their child can attend.

Rick Ross Partners With Foot Locker To Host “Back to School” Event

Florida rapper Rick Ross is another artist looking out for students regarding their education. 

On August 15, he hosted a  back-to-school event with Foot Locker.

This event provided kids with haircuts and hairstyles. Ross also supplied new shoes for students in the Miami area.

Originally Written By: Seeka Starsky (10/28/23 at 2:00 pm) Additional reporting by Kendall Parks.

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