Kanye West's Donda Academy abruptly closes, but parents receive contradictory email hours later: report
A private school founded by the artist formerly known as Kanye West is shutting its doors in Simi Valley Thursday amid the ongoing backlash over the rapper's recent antisemitic comments.
(KTLA) – A private school founded by the rapper formerly known as Kanye West is apparently planning to reopen after shutting its doors Thursday amid the ongoing backlash over the rapper's recent antisemitic comments, TMZ reports.
An email confirming the immediate closure of Donda Academy, located in Simi Valley, California, was first sent to parents by the school's principal on Wednesday, Hollywood Unlocked first reported.
"Donda Academy will close for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year effective immediately … THERE IS NO SCHOOL TOMORROW," a portion of a screenshot showing the email sent Wednesday read. The message further indicated that the school intended to reopen for the following school year in Sept. 2023.
The same email was also obtained by ESPN and British newspaper The Times.
In the middle of the night, however, TMZ reported that parents received yet another email touting "the return of Donda Academy" on Thursday.
"With the help of our parents and our community, we are back and returning with a vengeance!" read the message, which was obtained by TMZ.
The message, signed "Parents of Donda," did not elaborate on why the decision was made to reopen, nor who made the decision. Nexstar has reached out to Donda Academy for clarification.
Donda Academy, founded by Ye in 2022, is an unaccredited private Christian school intended to "be a reflection of God's glory in the world," according to its website. The school offers a core curriculum of language, math and science as well as "full school worship" and enrichment courses, the site says.
Wednesday's email did not go into detail about why the school had closed, but Ye has recently been under scrutiny over antisemitic comments. Earlier this month, the artist tweeted he would soon go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” making an apparent reference to the U.S. defense readiness condition scale known as DEFCON.
A Jewish educator at the Donda Academy also resigned from her position after that tweet, confirming she could "no longer support the organization," according to a statement shared on her behalf to The Hollywood Reporter.
Ye's antisemitic rhetoric also prompted him to be locked out of his Instagram and Twitter accounts. The repercussions continued, with Ye's talent agency cutting ties with Ye, and companies including Gap and Adidas ending their partnerships with the rapper earlier this week.
“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech," Adidas wrote in a statement announcing their decision. "Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness."
In addition to his recent antisemitic comments, Ye had previously suggested slavery was a choice and called the COVID-19 vaccine the “mark of the beast,” among other controversial remarks. He also was criticized for wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to his Yeezy collection show in Paris.