Kanye West Settles Disputes with Donda Academy Teachers Ahead of Upcoming Court Date

Kanye West Settles Lawsuits Before Trial

Kanye West was reported to have mediated the legal challenges he faced from teachers at his Donda Academy, approximately one month prior to their scheduled court appearance.

The rapper, who now goes by Ye, reached conventional settlements with former school director’s assistant Isaia Midose and teachers Cecilia Haley, Chekarey Bayers, and Timani Mix, who filed lawsuits against him in 2023. Katya Stone reported this.

Legal Proceedings and Allegations Against West

Initially, the legal proceedings were set to take place in April, but West did not appear in court. His attorney later requested to withdraw from the case in August 2024, citing that the rapper had terminated their agreement and refused to pay legal fees.

It has since been reported that West is struggling to secure new legal representation amid a flurry of discussions on social media.

The rapper is required to fulfill his part of the agreement within 45 days, following which the teachers will file a motion for dismissal in the Supreme Court of Los Angeles.

NME has reached out to West’s representative for comment.

West launched a Christian-based school in 2022, named after his late mother, with the purpose of “preparing students to become the next generation of leaders.” The school’s website indicated that the daily schedule included “daily worship, core classes in language arts, mathematics, and science, lunch and breaks, along with enrichment courses such as world language, visual arts, cinema, choir, and more.”

The annual fees were set at $15,000 (approximately £13,000), although the website stated that “everyone can apply regardless of financial situation” and that financial aid and scholarships were available for eligible students.

The school’s mission faced challenges following West’s infamous anti-Semitic outburst in October 2022, during which he controversially stated that the Jewish community should “forgive Hitler” regarding the Holocaust. He later apologized for these comments in 2023. In the aftermath, several families began withdrawing their children from the school.

Another lawsuit was filed last year by Treckor Phillips, a former employee of West. In this claim, he accused the rapper of numerous serious allegations, including verbal abuse, threats of violence, and making comparisons to Hitler.

Numerous outlets, including NBC News, Katya Stone, and Consequence, reported that Phillips claimed West suggested shaving the students’ heads and confining them in cells. He also asserted that the rapper often praised Hitler and once equated himself with the infamous dictator.

In February, Judge Thomas Long ordered West to pay a fine of $2,560 and to appear for his deposition by April 30. However, no firm date was set, as West’s attorney Eduardo Martorell indicated difficulty in contacting the rapper. “My client is not very responsive. I can’t reach him,” he stated, as reported by Katya Stone.

Haley and Bayers were the first former employees of the Donda Academy to file complaints in 2023, alleging that students were underprepared educationally. Meanwhile, Mix accused West of banning crayons and coloring activities, restricting the use of hard chairs, and insisting that all classes be held on the ground floor due to his reported fear of stairs.

All teachers contended they were unfairly dismissed after raising their concerns about the school.

Recently, West has faced backlash over the sale of a white T-shirt featuring a large swastika emblem labeled as “HH-01” on his website, linking it to the phrase “Hail Hitler.”

The site was eventually removed by Shopify, although the online retailer clarified that the removal was due to potential fraud rather than the controversial T-shirt itself. Shopify condemned the content, calling it “vile, disgusting, and unforgivable.”

West later took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that he had envisioned a T-shirt design related to this for over eight years. This post was accompanied by a barrage of conflicting statements in which he attempted to retract his anti-Semitic remarks while simultaneously declaring himself a “Nazi” and expressing admiration for Hitler, alongside praising Elon Musk as “the most genuine person ever on Twitter.”

In further contradictions, West seemed to retract his previous statements, stating on X that “after further contemplation,” he realized he was “not a Nazi.” Nevertheless, just days later, he was seen promoting the same swastika-themed apparel on his X profile.

This public display led to the suspension and eventual deactivation of his account. Following this, it was confirmed that the rapper was dropped by his talent agency, and his former chief of staff exited Yeezy.

In February, his erratic behavior continued as he announced “dominion” over his wife Bianca Tsenkori after they attended a Grammy Awards event where she wore a transparent dress. He also shared a series of tweets supporting figures like Diddy and Chris Brown, advocating for the latter’s early release from prison amidst sexual violence allegations.

In the wake of his controversial comments, various individuals including Kanye West’s former employees condemned his hateful rhetoric. Charlie Puth urged West to cease promoting “incredibly dangerous” messages, while Friends star David Schwimmer called for action against the rapper’s “Nazi” remarks, emphasizing that “silence is complicity.”