It looks like Kanye West can check at least one lawsuit off his list. The disgraced rapper recently settled a wrongful termination and unpaid wages lawsuit against the former Donda Academy. This comes just weeks before the case was set to begin trial.
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According to PEOPLE, several teachers who previously worked at the school filed the Donda Academy lawsuit. In April 2023, Cecilia Hailey and her daughter, Chekarey Byers, initiated the complaint. The mother-daughter duo claimed the school terminated them for bringing attention to several violations. A third teacher, Timanii Meeks, joined the case in June 2023.
In the lawsuit, the teachers claimed Donda Academy failed to meet several Department of Education requirements. They brought these concerns to the private school’s principal, and were subsequently fired in March 2023. Allegedly, the school, named after West’s late mother, did not provide adequate safety protocols because it had no school nurse or custodians on the campus. The suit also claimed that meals did not meet nutritional requirements as West spent $10,000 a week on sushi for the students to eat at lunch. Even more so, Rolling Stone revealed that Donda Academy never achieved proper accreditation.
“As an educator with over twenty-five years of experience and having served as the dean of two colleges, Hailey detected multiple health and safety violations, as well as unlawful educational practices at Donda Academy,” the lawsuit alleged. “In an effort to bring attention to the unlawful and unsafe practices, Hailey complained to the director/principal of Donda Academy, Moira Love on at least three separate occasions.”
In addition to the wrongful termination claims, the plaintiffs in the case state they suffered discrimination as the only Black teachers/staff at the school. They also state that their wages were illegally withheld or “were repeatedly improperly paid.”
Kanye West Must Pay Former Donda Academy Teachers Within 45 Days
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As if mistreating employees isn’t enough, former Donda Academy teachers revealed that West held strict expectations for students. He allegedly banned students from wearing anything but all Black, including their shoes. He also refused to let students use utensils and forced them to eat on the floor for lunch. Though the building had a second floor, the father of four did not allow classes on that level due to his fear of stairs. Additionally, he banned chairs for students and teachers, forcing them to stand or use “foam cushions.” Teachers had the option of using a stool.
Despite the upcoming trial, the plaintiffs in the Donda Academy case agreed to settle the case on certain conditions. According to PEOPLE, West must meet his end of the agreement within 45 days. If he does so, the plaintiffs will file a request to have the case dismissed.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs sued for $1 million in damages, citing lost wages and emotional distress. The amount the case was settled for has not been revealed. As for Donda Academy, the school opened in November 2021 having claimed to provide “a world-class education that includes a rigorous core curriculum, and an emphasis on sustainability, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving.” However, the school officially closed in June 2024.
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