Kanye West sued by Donda Academy teacher who was allegedly fired for reporting safety issues at school
SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: Kanye West is facing another lawsuit, this time from former gym teacher Isaiah Meadows, who alleges that he was unjustly fired for reporting unsafe conditions at Donda Academy. In the lawsuit, Meadows claims that the private Christian school lacked windows because West "did not like glass." He further states that the absence of windows caused students to be exposed to the elements.
Donda Academy, a privately owned school with gospel beliefs, has faced numerous lawsuits in the past due to its failure to provide basic health and safety measures, among other reasons. The school has been embroiled in legal challenges, with various issues leading to its involvement in multiple lawsuits.
What is Donda Academy?
Located in Simi Valley, California, Donda Academy is an unaccredited Christian private school catering to students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Donda Academy was founded by Kanye in 2022, who expressed his desire for his children to attend the school. Donda Academy, a K-12 private school located in Southern California, aims to provide students with practical tools for a post-iPhone world while focusing on faith and education. The school offers a range of subjects, including language arts, math, science, world languages, visual art, film, choir, and parkour. With a reported ten-to-one student-to-teacher ratio, Donda Academy emphasizes fundamentals, personal growth, and enrichment. While the school has faced controversy and legal issues, including allegations of safety violations and racial discrimination, it continues to operate with a mission to create lifelong learners and followers of Christ.
“We spread the gospel.” @kanywest talks about Donda Academy — a private school he created named after his late mother Donda West. https://t.co/pJ0AQzgKkj pic.twitter.com/WdoQJpPxkA
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 22, 2022
Donda Academy has faced allegations in the past
According to Rolling Stone, three former teachers have filed a lawsuit against Kanye West's Donda Academy, alleging a range of issues at the school. Cecilia Hailey, Chekarey Byers, and Timanii Meeks claim they were unfairly fired after reporting health, safety, and educational code violations. The lawsuit includes allegations of racial discrimination, inadequate pay, bullying, and chaotic conditions. Among the reported violations were exposed electrical wiring, lack of disciplinary systems, absence of janitorial services and a school nurse, and the school allegedly being locked from the outside. The teachers also claimed that West had specific preferences, such as serving only sushi for lunch, banning chairs, and restricting the use of utensils. They further alleged that their paychecks were consistently short. Students were not permitted to bring outside food except for water. The lawsuit revealed that West allegedly spent $10,000 per week on sushi. Additionally, former teachers Hailey and Byers claimed that their pay was often untimely and inaccurate, with discrepancies ranging from approximately $1,800 to $2,700 per pay period. The lawsuit sheds light on the inner workings of Donda Academy, which had previously been criticized for lacking accreditation and requiring non-disclosure agreements from parents.
