Racial Discrimination, No School Nurse, No Cleaning Staff And Only Sushi Lunches, Suit Claims

Topline

Two former employees at controversial artist Kanye West’s non-accredited private Christian school Donda Academy filed a lawsuit against the rapper and the school Thursday, claiming the school violated education, health and safety codes and withheld pay from teachers based on race—the latest allegations against West as he faces financial fallout after a slew of racist and antisemitic comments last year.

Kanye West and his private school, Donda Academy, were sued by two former employees Thursday.

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Key Facts

Chekarey Byers and Cecelia Hailey, who previously worked at West’s Donda Academy in California, claim they were fired last month for complaining to Donda principal Moira Love about alleged violations of the state’s Department of Education requirements, including claims the school did not provide necessary educational services, personal learning plans or additional testing required under state regulations.

Byers and Hailey, who are both Black, claim they “were the only female African American teachers” and were discriminated against and “repeatedly improperly paid” (Donda did not immediately respond to a Forbes request for comment).

Plaintiffs also allege students at Donda—which reportedly reopened in October hours after it abruptly shut down and is listed as “active” in state records—were “subject to severe bullying,” including an incident in which a student was not disciplined after slapping another student and attempting to hit a teacher, according to the complaint, filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The complaint, which also lists former Donda directors Brianne Cambell, Allison Tidwell and Chris Julian as defendants, states Donda did not have a staffed school nurse or medical access for students, allowed strangers to pick up students from school, and had no cleaning staff because West allegedly “did not believe in cleaning products containing chemicals.”

Surprising Fact

Plaintiffs claim the only lunch available for students was sushi, “every single day,” and that students were prohibited from bringing in outside food or drinks other than water.

Big Number

$10,000. That’s how much the complaint alleges West spends per week on sushi.

What To Watch For

Byers and Hailey request a trial by jury, and are seeking compensation for alleged lost wages.

Key Background

West, who founded Donda Academy as a kindergarten-12th grade private school in 2021, has come under fire in the past year for racist and antisemitic comments and conspiracy theories, primarily made online, resulting in the termination of multiple lucrative contracts, his social media accounts being suspended and his own personal fortune vastly diminishing. West, who had his name legally changed to Ye, dropped off Forbes’ billionaires list, after joining the list in 2020, following the termination of contracts, including with Foot Locker, Gap, Adidas and Balenciaga.