Kanye West's Donda Academy to shut down for good? Teachers, parents fed up with rapper's antisemitic rants
SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: If reports are to be believed Kanye West's private Christian preparatory school, Donde Academy, might shut down permanently. It is being said that the management is having a hard time keeping the school operational due to the recent large exodus of staff members in protest of Kanye's antisemitic outbursts, reported TMZ.
Kanye West's hate speech, speculations on George Floyd death, and wearing a controversial 'White Lives Matter' t-shirt at Paris Fashion Week has enraged the staffers which resulted in a large number of educators leaving the academy. Donda Academy, which opened its doors in September, is a private school named after Kanye's late mother, Professor Donda West, located in Simi Valley, California
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On Wednesday night, October 26, Kanye took to social media claiming, "Here's the clout you're looking for. My school is being shut down" only to take it down minutes later. It was the first time he returned to social media amid the controversies.
Following the post, the parents of the students of the academy received a mail from the principal, Jason Angell informing the sudden shutdown of the school. "At the discretion of our founder, Donda Academy will close for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year effective immediately," reported TMZ.
In an odd turn of events, a parent sent another email to parents and students on Wednesday night, reading, "Come worship with us tomorrow morning as Donda Academy makes its comeback. We are back, and we're coming back with a vengeance, with the assistance of our parents and the community!"
Some parents have already started looking for new schools for their children, while others choose to continue at Donda. The school's future is uncertain, despite the parents' efforts to organize a protest.
Tamar Andrews, a bigwig at two Jewish institutions and an educational consultant, is one of the faculty members, who resigned from her post. Andrews abruptly left her position at Donda Academy in Simi Valley, California, just days after the rapper's hate speech.
According to Rolling Stone, parents must sign non-disclosure agreements before their children can enroll at the unaccredited Christian school Donda Academy. About 100 students attend the academy, with half receiving financial aid from West and his friends. The daily timetable for children comprised "full school worship," core classes (such as math, science, and language arts), lunch, and recess, according to the school's official website. The curriculum also mentions "enrichment courses," which include items like classes in visual art and parkour.