Ye — former known as Kanye West — and his Donda Academy have tentatively settled employment-related lawsuits brought by former employees of the school.
Attorneys for former Assistant Principal Isaiah Meadows, who filed an individual case, and ex-teachers Cecilia Hailey, Chekarey Byers and Timanii Meeks filed court papers in Los Angeles Superior Court stating that there has been a “conditional” resolution in both lawsuits and that requests for dismissal will be filed by March 31. No terms were divulged.
In his suit filed in July 2023, Meadows stated he was hired in August 2020 as an assistant principal and that he repeatedly complained about safety issues at the Yeezy Christian Academy, the predecessor of the Donda Academy.
Meadows alleged a skylight was not replaced, allowing rain to enter the building, soaking the floor and causing a mold odor, all because Ye did not like glass. Meadows also contended the building had exposed telephone and electrical wiring and that an electrical wire close to where students ate was left exposed.
Meadows also maintained that he had to pay $60,000 of his own money to lease a home in Calabasas near the school because Ye did not fulfill his promise to finance the entire rent payments.
The school became Donda Academy in August 2021. Meadows was employed there as a teacher’s assistant and physical education teacher and also taught faith in the morning, but he was fired a year later, about two weeks before the start of the fall semester, without an explanation, the suit stated.
In their suit brought in April 2023, the teachers said they were forced to work in unsafe working conditions and cope with students bullying each other because of a lack of proper discipline. Hailey and Byers contended that their wages were often short by about $1,800 to $2,700 per pay period. All three said they were fired.