Zuckerberg Closes Schools for Ethnicity-Specific Neighborhoods Amidst Trump's Pushback against Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
Updating the Status: The Shut-Down of The Primary School
A decade ago, visionary duo Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan established The Primary School, a tuition-free learning haven for low-income families and communities of color, offering them much-needed access to education, healthcare, and vital social services. Fast forward to the present, the school's shining doors will be closing for good in the following year, supposedly due to monetary constraints - a predicament that seems puzzling given their backing by the billionaire power couple.
Over the past decade, The Primary School found itself in the epicenter of significant political changes, with the educational landscape continually evolving. As it first opened its doors in East Palo Alto, the school recognized the myriad challenges faced by families on low incomes, who were often unable to secure adequate, well-funded educational opportunities. On the school's website, it acknowledges the disparities brought about by systemic racism, burdening these communities of color with limited resources. Originally boasting a diverse team backgrounded in education, healthcare, and family support, the school aimed to extend resources to underserved communities.
Fast forward to this year, and that mission seems awhirl in the crosswinds of a shift reminiscent of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criticisms by the Trump administration. In response, Meta, whose CEO is none other than Zuckerberg, decided to eliminate its DEI programs, and this ideological purge also seemingly infiltrated the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) that originally funded The Primary School. According to The Guardian, CZI scrubbed references to inclusivity and economic justice from its website, while terminating its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility team - developments that follow Trump's efforts to castigate DEI programs, including withholding federal funding from schools overtly acknowledging the value of inclusivity.
With the school's closure potentially imminent, Zuckerberg might aligning his financial interests more closely with the current political climate; however, the unfortunate repercussions of this move will undoubtedly fall on the families who have come to depend on the school's holistic approach to their children's education and wellbeing.
For families like those of Veronica Van Leeuwaarde, mother of two pupils at The Primary School, the school was more than just an academic institution. The employees' dedicated assistance helped her secure a Kaiser Permanente appointment to discuss her son's learning difficulties, eventually leading to his ADHD diagnosis and treatment. "Just talking about it makes me want to cry," Van Leeuwaarde told The San Francisco Standard, underscoring the profound impact the school had on her family.
Upon closure, The Primary School will offer families compensation between $1,000 and $10,000 to help enroll their children in other schools. However, considering the average cost of private elementary education in Palo Alto hovers around $35,000, with a statewide average of $16,500[1], the allotted funds barely scratch the surface for most families.
Reading between the lines, the school's claim of lack of funding seems dubious, given the dwindling contributions combined with the significant wealth at Zuckerberg's and Chan's disposal. As of 2021, the couple reportedly possesses a combined net worth of nearly $200 billion, with a vow to donate 99% of their wealth[3]. If so, it seems strange that ensuring the continued operation of this worthwhile project, even with a minimal financial investment, would be beyond reach.
Enrichment Data:
- Financial Contributions Drop: Tax filings reveal that contributions to The Primary School plummeted substantially, from nearly $8 million in 2022 to just over $3.7 million in 2023[2]. This steep reduction complicated the school's ability to maintain operations.
- CZI's Decision to Pull Funding: Parents anticipated the school's closure as a direct result of CZI's decision to terminate funding[1]. CZI has announced plans to invest $50 million over the next few years in the East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and East Bay communities instead[4].
- The School's Financial Model: The school's financial model reportedly entailed a yearly cost per pupil amounting to approximately $28,000 - a figure that exceeded the budgeted per-student value in San Francisco Unified[2]. This approach to funding made it challenging for the school to sustain consistent operations.
- Community Impact: The school's closure is to be a considerable loss for the community as it played a crucial role in offering integrated health and educational services for low-income families and people of color[4]. The shift in CZI's focus may reflect broader changes in philanthropic priorities.
- The financial contributions to The Primary School, once amounting to nearly $8 million, dropped significantly to just over $3.7 million, making it difficult for the school to maintain operations.
- Gizmodo and tech enthusiasts might find it intriguing that despite Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's combined net worth nearing $200 billion, the closure of The Primary School is potentially due to a lack of funding, raising questions about their philanthropic priorities.
- The future of education-and-self-development in East Palo Alto seems to be shifting, with The Primary School's closure looming and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announcing plans to invest $50 million in other communities, raising concerns about the impact on politics and general news in the area.
