Topline
A third former teacher has joined a lawsuit against the Donda Academy—a private Christian school started by controversial rapper Kanye West, now legally known as Ye—alleging she was fired unfairly after complaining about unsafe working conditions at the school and, NBC News reported Thursday.
A third former teacher has joined a lawsuit against the Donda Academy on Thursday.
Key Facts
Timanii Meeks, a former teacher at the school, added her complaint to a lawsuit filed by two other former Donda Academy teachers in April alleging they were fired for complaining about the school’s violations of Department of Education requirements.
Meeks was fired months before the other two teachers, but her lawyer told NBC News she “witnessed the same illegal and disturbing code violations and conduct at the school.”
In the lawsuit, Meeks—who began working at the school in August 2022—noted safety hazards on the school’s campus, including exposed electrical wiring and loose baseboards, as well as “significant issues” with assaults and bullying on campus, NBC News reported.
Meeks, who was reportedly employed through a staffing agency, was terminated from the school without explanation after parents complained there were no “educational items” in the classroom and the school’s former principal reprimanded Meeks.
Forbes could not immediately reach the Donda Academy for comment.
Key Background
Chekarey Byers and Cecelia Hailey, the two teachers who sued in April, claimed they “were the only female African American teachers” and were discriminated against due to their race. Like with Meeks’ complaint, Byers and Hailey noted they were also fired after bringing up the school’s conditions with the principal, Moira Love. Among the specific complaints Byers and Hailey noted were the lack of educational services, personal learning plans and additional testing required under state regulations. The educators also alleged the school lacked basic necessities, including trash cans, a school nurse, cleaning staff or security protocols. Donda Academy, a school which West founded in 2021 for students kindergarten through 12th grade, provides an education based on “passion, purpose and spiritual foundations they need to thrive in tomorrow’s world,” according to its website.
Surprising Fact
The only lunch available to students at the school was sushi, according to the lawsuit filed in April. The school spent $10,000 on sushi per week, the complaint alleges, and students were prohibited from bringing in outside food or drinks other than water.
Tangent
In the past few years, West has come under fire for his racist and antisemitic comments, often made online, but also blatantly in-person on platforms like conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ radio show. Those comments, which sometimes included promoting conspiracy theories, led to the multiple companies cutting ties with the artist, including Foot Locker, Adidas and Gap. West also had some of his social media accounts suspended in response to the comments.
Further Reading
Kanye’s School Under Fire: Racial Discrimination, No School Nurse, No Cleaning Staff And Only Sushi Lunches, Suit Claims (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/06/01/third-fired-teacher-sues-kanye-wests-donda-academy-claiming-unsafe-conditions-report-says/