Judge enters default judgment in lawsuit against Kanye West's private school

Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times on Dec 11, 2024

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LOS ANGELES — A judge entered a default judgment against Kanye West's Christian private school in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday in connection with a lawsuit filed by a former employee.

Isaiah Meadows, Yeezy Christian Academy's former assistant principal, sought a default judgment in his wrongful termination and unpaid wages lawsuit against the school — later rebranded Donda Academy — and other defendants for failure to appear through licensed attorneys.

The judge, Christopher K. Lui, ruled in favor of Meadows' motion. He also ruled that the answers given by defendants — Yeezy Christian Academy, Donda Services LLC and Strokes Canyon LLC — in response to Meadows' complaint be stricken.

Last year, a lawyer representing West and the three other defendants denied "each and every allegation of Meadows' complaint," in a filing with the court.

In August, Brian Blumfield, West's most recent attorney who was representing the music mogul and other business entities in the matter, sought his removal from the case on the grounds that the defendants had terminated their relationship in June and that they had refused to speak to or pay Blumfield, according to court filings. The judge granted the request.

Meadows had alleged that he brought many of the school's health and safety issues to the attention of West and the school's director. But they were left unaddressed and Meadows was later fired.

According to the complaint, a skylight in one of the classrooms didn't have glass, allowing rain to fall in the building. West reportedly did not like glass.

"Water would soak into the floor, which would lead to a moldy smell for the next few days."

Further, electrical and telephone wires were also allegedly left exposed and on one occasion an electrical fire started near a student dining area.

In 2020, Meadows was offered $165,000 salary to work, according to the suit. However, he claimed that West later reneged on his promise to pay for his rent after doing so for three months — Meadows had relocated with his family from North Hollywood to Calabasas to work at the school.

The rent payments ended in February 2021, Meadows claimed after he "was suspended after calling for meetings and raising concerns regarding operations of the school."

Meadows alleged that his salary was then cut and he was later demoted and worked as a teacher's assistant and physical education teacher. That April, he sent an email outlining his concerns about his pay and that of other staff members.

Nearly two weeks before the new school year was to start in 2022, Meadows was told that he was being terminated "with no explanation as to why."

The suit is one of at least five filed against West and Donda Academy since 2023 that allege a hostile workplace as a result of West's conduct, which includes claims of discrimination and antisemitism, and retaliation, as well as various health and safety issues at the school's property that was located first in Calabasas, then Simi Valley and finally in Chatsworth.

Donda Academy abruptly shut down in October 2022, amid a cascade of fallout from West's antisemitic comments, which led a number of his business partners such as The Gap and Adidas to sever ties with him.

There were reports that the school reopened shortly thereafter; however, according to the California Department of Education, the school has been closed since June of this year.

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