Former Donda Academy teachers sue Kanye West for racial discrimination, wrongful termination
Two teachers say they were retaliated against for concerns and complaints made against West’s school.
Two Black, female former teachers at Kanye West's private Christian school Donda Academy have filed a lawsuit against the artist alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, unlawful withholding of wages, and more.
The civil suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday (April 5) by Cecilia Hailey and her daughter, Chekarey Byers, alleges that the Academy “violated education, health and safety codes, terminated educators based on race and retaliation, and failed to fully pay teachers,” according to a press release from the plaintiffs' law firm West Coast Employment Lawyers obtained by Billboard. Donda Academy directors Brianne Campbell, Allison Tidwell, and Chris Julian are named as co-defendants.
The suit outlines neglectful and unethical behavior allegedly witnessed by the plaintiffs at the Academy. Hailey and Byers claim that Donda administrators targeted them with "stereotyping and coded language" and that some paychecks would arrive with money missing, or not be delivered entirely. They also claim that the school ignored serious bullying and other complaints "regarding sanitation, health, safety or education standard pursuant to local and state law." The plaintiffs allege that they were fired without an explanation in March, though they believe that their complaints were behind their dismissals.
Ron Zabrano, one of the partners from West Coast Employment Lawyers working on the case, issued the following statement via Instagram.
Kanye West is clearly as bad at running a school as he is at managing his own personal and professional life, enabling an unsafe and illegal school environment for students that also discriminated against the plaintiffs based on their race. These egregious violations at Donda Academy are just another example of West's unusual behavior, and our clients just won't stand for it, no matter his celebrity status. Kanye needs to realize his genius is in creating music, not in school administration.
Hailey and Byers are seeking compensation for a variety of damages, including “substantial losses in earnings, other employment benefits, physical injuries, physical sickness, as well as emotional distress, plus medical expenses, future medical expenses, and attorneys’ fees.”
In October 2022, a report emerged that Donda Academy would be closed in the wake of the controversy surrounding Kanye West’s anti-Semitic remarks. However, the school is currently accepting admissions for the 2023-24 school year.