Kanye West reportedly isn’t a fan of glass, and has been cited as the reason his Donda Academy didn’t have any windows.
According to Billboard, a new lawsuit was filed on Thursday (July 6) by the school’s former gym teacher, Isaiah Meadows, who claims he was unfairly fired after raising concerns about inconsistent pay and serious health and safety issues.
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Located in Simi Valley, California, Donda Academy is a Christian private school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and was founded by Ye in 2022.
The lawsuit accuses Kanye West, Donda Academy and others of breach of contract and violation of California labor laws, including wage rules, wrongful termination and improper classification.
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Meadows said kids were “exposed to the elements” due to the rapper refusing to allow glass to be placed in the building’s window frames.
“In the middle of the main classroom, a skylight was left without glass inevitably allowing rain to fall directly inside, where water would soak into the floor, which would lead to a moldy smell for the next few days,” his lawyers wrote. “The skylight was intentionally without glass because WEST expressed that he did not like glass.”
He also claimed a septic tank would “overflow every other day, causing a terrible smell” and an electrical fire was sparked “near the student eating area where wire was laid atop the ground, exposed.”
Attorney Ron Zambrano called the conditions “absolutely egregious” and that they “plan to hold them accountable.”
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In April, two other former teachers, Cecilia Hailey and Chekarey Byers — who are both Black women — filed a lawsuit against Donda Academy for allegedly firing them on the basis of their race.
In the suit, they claimed they were also let go because they reported education, safety and health code violations to the authorities.
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They alleged children and teachers weren’t allowed to sit in chairs, with the only options being foam cushions, stools or to stand. Nike and Adidas shoes were apparently forbidden, with students forced to wear black clothing.
Sushi was the only lunch option and kids weren’t allowed to bring anything to school other than water, according to the two women.
Kanye West denied all allegations of wrongdoing in court documents obtained by RadarOnline in June.
“The truth is, Ye has nothing to do with Donda’s policies, practices, and procedures relating to employee pay and wage statements. Surely, Plaintiffs know that,” the documents read.
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“But — as unfortunately is commonly the case for Ye, a famous artist and businessperson — in the present action, Plaintiffs have haphazardly tossed a meritless and barebones guilt-by-association theory into their complaint to garner press attention and the resulting settlement pressure that comes with it.”
The response continued: “Plaintiffs misleadingly depict the Donda Academy as a dystopian institution designed to satisfy Ye’s idiosyncrasies. None of it is true and the allegations do a disservice to the Donda Academy’s current staff and students and their parents who will attest to their positive experience as this case proceeds.”
