Why Was Kanye West Sued By Teachers In 2023? Details Explored As Rapper Settles Donda Academy Lawsuit A Month Before Trial

Kanye West just settled the Donda Academy lawsuit, resolving the case filed by Cecilia Hailey and her daughter Chekarey Byers, weeks before they were set to go to trial.

But what's Donda Academy? What was the case about? How is Kanye West even linked to it? Let's explore the details here.

Kanye West's Donda Academy

A private Christian school in Simi Valley, California, Donda Academy was founded by Kanye West in October 2021 in memory of his mother, Donda West, who was a professor and chair of the English department at Chicago State University.

West's vision to revolutionize education by blending creativity, academics, and faith-based learning was another major reason why the school was formed.

Though not accredited, the school marketed itself as a premier institution, focused on things like basketball, music, fashion, and most importantly, faith-based learning, which, according to West, was what was needed to revolutionize the education system.

Ye (Kanye West's legal name now) funded the school and had full creative control over its operations, which came with unusual rules including a dress code requiring students to wear his Yeezy-designed all-black uniforms. He even banned chairs, tables, jewelry, and forks, and instilled a menu of only sushi to be served during lunch.

The academy's claim to fame was their focus on basketball, recruiting top-tier high school basketball players, and even participating in elite prep-school tournaments.

The Donda Academy Lawsuit

In April 2023, former teachers of the academy, Cecilia Hailey and her daughter, Chekarey Byers, the only Black female teachers at Donda Academy, filed a lawsuit stating that they were wrongfully terminated in retaliation for raising concerns about the school's daily operations, which included health and safety violations, unlawful educational practices, and several discriminatory practices.

They highlighted several issues, like the lack of janitorial services and medical staff, the regular sushi for lunch issue, an absence of educational services and individualized learning plans, and most importantly, the unusually strict rules such as banning crossword puzzles and coloring sheets.

They even alleged racial discrimination, stating that they were called "aggressive" when they voiced their concerns, which just highlights stereotypes about African-American women.

Hailey claimed that West wanted the students to learn how to march and handle firearms:

"He did want the children to learn marching. He wanted all the children to be educated in how to carry a gun, how to shoot a gun."

She expressed her opposition to this idea, stating:

"I'm like,'Are you kidding me? I'm not having my third graders out learning how to shoot rifles, absolutely noy."

She also raised concerns about the whole marching idea, saying that it gave off "Hitler vibes around that or real bizarre things."

The Donda Academy Settlement

The present settlement requires West to fulfill his duties within 45 days, after which the plaintiffs will request dismissal of the case. Even though specific terms of the settlement have not yet been made public, with Donda Academy closing its doors in June 2024, we can hope that no other schools will try to implement ideas like the ones stated above anytime soon.

So, what is your take on all this? Let us know in the comments below.