News Update

Private school funded by Kayne West shuts down following outrage to antisemitic remarks

The private Simi Valley school founded by the artist formally known as Kanye West abruptly closed Thursday in the aftermath of the rapper’s recent spate of antisemitic remarks, KTLA TV and other news outlets reported,

The school, Donda Academy,  is closed  “for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year effective immediately,” parents were told by email late Wednesday, according to news outlets. The decision was made “at the direction of our founder,” the email stated.

The unaccredited Christian school requires parents to sign nondisclosure agreements before students join. It has about 100 students, with half attending on scholarships funded by the artist, now known as Ye, and others, Insider reported. Students wear uniforms made by the rapper’s brand, Yeezy, and other high-end designers. The school’s basketball team has recruited some of the top high school players from around the U.S.

Earlier this month, Ye tweeted he intends to go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” an apparent reference to the U.S. defense readiness condition scale known as DEFCON. The French athletic wear company Adidas ended its relationship with Ye’s companies on Wednesday amid global outrage.

His comments have spurred other outbursts of antisemitism. Last weekend, white supremacists were photographed on a highway overpass in Los Angeles with a sign that read  “Kanye is right about Jews” while doing the Nazi salute.