SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: Kanye West and his Donda Academy have been facing trouble, and the three directors of the private school, who have also been mentioned in a lawsuit, now want their names cleared from the case. Brianne Cambell, Allison Tidwell, and Chris Julian are reportedly trying to gain clean chits after facing severe accusations from two former teachers -- Cecila Hailey and Chekarey Byers.
The trio argues in their defense, “Plaintiffs’ claim against the Individual Defendants fails, because Plaintiffs fail to allege any facts suggesting the Individual Defendants were their employers or that they personally ‘violated or caused to be violated’ provisions of the Labor Code,” Radar Online reported, citing court documents.
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“Plaintiffs do not plead specific facts regarding any instances where the Individual Defendants had any involvement with Plaintiffs – let alone any involvement with Plaintiffs’ wages,” they reportedly added.
‘Several students with bullying issues’
Earlier, it was reported that in their suit, Hailey and Byers, who were the "only African American teachers” at the institute, alleged numerous violations related to health and safety. They also accused the academy of unlawful educational practices and claimed to have faced racial discrimination.
The lawsuit reportedly states, “They complained that DONDA ACADEMY does not have a proper disciplinary system, as students were being subject to severe bullying. In one incident, a student assaulted an eighth-grade student by slapping her, then attempted to assault another teacher.”
“The student had multiple accounts of bullying, both physically and verbally, that had gone without discipline. However, there are several students with bullying issues that remain unaddressed. Plaintiff BYERS complained that the student who became violent should be expelled from DONDA ACADEMY,” it notes, before stating, “Defendant WEST did not believe in cleaning products containing chemicals, so teachers were only allowed to clean with acid water and microfiber cloths. There were no trash cans outside of the classrooms or the kitchen.”
‘The right thing to do’
The ex-teachers also asserted that they were termed “aggressive” for raising their concerns. The lawsuit added that they “believe this type of comment facilitates stereotypes about African-American women as being confrontational simply for doing their job and voicing their legitimate concerns in order to provide a safe environment and proper education for their students.”
Hailey and Byers lost their jobs in March. Previously, Hailey reportedly said, “We're standing up because it’s the right thing to do. This is not about trying to defame a celebrity. This is about the right thing to do for these children.”
Byers added, “I’m a huge Kanye fan. I’ll never deny his talent, but while his vision for the school sounds great on paper, it’s just pure chaos and mutiny. It’s like a mental hospital being run by the patients.”
