The Only Black Teachers at the Donda Academy Are Suing Ye For Alleged Multiple Infractions

It looks like the educational values at Donda Academy may only live up to the standards of its owner, Ye.

According to BuzzFeed News, two former teachers employed by Ye’s Donda Academy have filed a lawsuit against the educational facility. In the filing, the former teachers allege that the school had labor violations and restrictive and unusual school rules for teachers and students.

Former Donda Academy third-grade teacher Cecilia Hailey and fifth-grade teacher Chekarey Byers, who are mother and daughter, filed the lawsuit last Thursday. They also alleged that the students were only allowed to eat sushi and that teachers and students were not allowed to wear jewelry. Donda Academy has no janitorial services, and the teachers also alleged that the school failed to meet Department of Education requirements or follow state regulations. Included in the complaint, it was stated that teachers were not required to have Basic Life Support certification or mandatory reporting training.

Hailey and Byers worked at Donda Academy from January to March 2023. They were terminated on March 3, 2023, and were not given a reason for their dismissal. The two believe they were fired in retaliation for complaining about the conditions to the school’s administration. They were the only Black teachers at the school.

People reported that the lawsuit alleged a “lack of safety” regarding students, that led to frequent bullying incidents and that Donda Academy was “not following nutritional guidelines” for school meals.

“As an educator with over twenty-five years of experience and having served as the dean of two colleges, Hailey detected multiple health and safety violations, as well as unlawful educational practices at Donda Academy,” the lawsuit stated, noting that “in an effort to bring attention to the unlawful and unsafe practices, Hailey complained to the director/principal of Donda Academy, Moira Love, on at least three separate occasions.”

The women also accused the school of discrimination and “illegally had wages withheld or were repeatedly improperly paid.”

There were also other strict rules and protocols in place.

Other “strict rules and requirements that students and teachers had to adhere to include a school-wide ban on crossword puzzles or coloring sheets, and that the students were not permitted to use forks or utensils and were required to wear black clothes from head-to-toe.

“Only West’s issued or designed apparel was allowed to be worn. Nike and Adidas brands were forbidden,” the lawsuit said.

Also, children were not allowed to take classes on the second floor “as Defendant WEST reportedly did not want children or staff to go upstairs since he was reportedly afraid of stairs,” and West “reportedly did not allow chairs, so children had to sit on foam cushions or stand, and teachers had to stand or use a stool,” according to the lawsuit.

Hailey and Byers seek more than $1 million in damages for lost wages and emotional distress.