Enrollment looks a little different at the Donda Academy.
Two families whose kids have been attending Donda Academy, which has less than 100 students, claimed to Rolling Stone that parents have to sign nondisclosure agreements for Kanye West’s secretive school.
However, Tamar Andrews, a consultant to the school, tried to debunk the families’ claims, telling the outlet that the parents of each student only have to sign “an informal agreement” — but didn’t specify what that “agreement” was.
“Honestly, we don’t care if people know about the school,” Andrews said.
“The people that want to come to the school are looking for a good Christian school in that area and they know that we’re there … there is also a certain notoriety that comes with being affiliated with Donda. So, I don’t know that we have to advertise, which is a blessing and a curse.”
West’s longtime friend and collaborator, Malik Yusef, dittoed this idea, saying the school offers things to students that other institutions lack.
“People choose to bring their kids to Donda Academy for a sense of privacy,” he said. “A sense of care, a sense of concern, a sense of love, an environment of health, and an environment of wealth, an environment of learning, and putting God as a focus.”
“The process of Donda school is for the parishioners, for the attendees,” he added. “I don’t think Kanye needs to tell the world what he’s doing so that he can be under more scrutiny.”
The tuition-based school reportedly costs $15,000 a year, but nearly half the children have been awarded financial assistance or scholarships. Yusef said the other half of the students are the children of West’s collaborators and other celebrities who can afford the hefty price tag.
To add to the school’s mystery, Andrews confirmed the Christian academy is still in the process of becoming accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
This may be one of the reasons why West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, doesn’t want their own children attending the school.
Earlier this month, the rapper asked Kardashian if their four kids — North, 9, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 3 — could split their education between their Los Angeles school and Donda Academy in Simi Valley, Calif.
While Kardashian’s reaction to this suggestion was never shared, Ye hinted at her reluctance. However, after an Instagram frenzy, he told his followers that the two had a “good meeting” about their kids’ education.
Despite the air of secrecy and mystery surrounding the school, West had previously shared pictures of the students at the Donda Academy on his Instagram, decked out in their all-black uniforms from Yeezy’s collaborations with Gap.