Zuckerberg Closes Schools for Ethnic Minority Communities amidst Trump's Strict Policies on Diversity and Inclusion

Zuckerberg Closes Schools Primarily Affecting Communities of Color Amidst Trump's Intensified Crackdown on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Measures

In 2016, The Primary School, a not-for-profit educational institution established by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his partner Dr. Priscilla Chan, opened its doors to underprivileged students in East Palo Alto. The school's mission was to provide low-income families and communities of color with access to education, healthcare, and social services. However, The Primary School has recently announced that it will close its doors next year, citing financial difficulties as the primary reason.

Over the past decade, The Primary School has faced significant challenges in securing adequate funding to operate. Recently, contributions to the school have declined sharply—from almost $8 million in 2022 to just over $3.7 million in 2023, according to tax filings. This shortfall in finances has put pressure on the school's operations, leading to discussions about cutting costs and reducing staff.

The school's website acknowledges the obstacles that low-income communities often face, particularly communities of color, due to systemic racism. The Primary School was intent on addressing these challenges by assembling a diverse team with backgrounds in education, healthcare, and family support to extend resources to these underserved communities.

However, some question whether the school's closure is indicative of a shift in philanthropic priorities at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the philanthropic arm of the Zuckerberg family that originally funded The Primary School. In early 2023, CZI announced it was discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, a move that followed President Trump's crackdown on DEI initiatives in various programs, including schools.

The closure of The Primary School will impact over 400 students and their families. To help mitigate the disruption, CZI has pledged $50 million over five years for education savings plans, parent engagement, early childhood, and health services for affected families.

One family affected by the closure is that of Veronica Van Leeuwaarde, a mother of two students who attended The Primary School. Van Leeuwaarde told the San Francisco Standard that school employees helped her secure an appointment at Kaiser Permanente to discuss her son's learning difficulties, leading to a diagnosis of ADHD. Without the help of The Primary School, Van Leeuwaarde would have faced significantly greater challenges in navigating her son's diagnosis and treatment on her own.

The average tuition cost for private elementary schools in Palo Alto is around $35,000 annually, and $16,500 across the state of California. The school has pledged to provide families with $1,000 to $10,000 to help them enroll their children in another school, but this amount would not cover the cost of private education for most families.

Despite the resources available to Zuckerberg and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, questions have been raised about why the school's closure was necessary when it could potentially be sustained with a modest financial contribution. The closure of The Primary School, therefore, raises concerns about the priorities and commitments of the philanthropic community in supporting underserved communities.

Gizmodo reported on the closure of The Primary School, a not-for-profit educational institution established by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, citing financial difficulties as the primary reason.
Technology companies, including the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), have a significant role in shaping the future of tech, finance, education-and-self-development, and politics through their philanthropic efforts.
The closure of The Primary School, which aimed to provide low-income families and communities of color with access to education, healthcare, and social services, has sparked debate over the priorities and commitments of the philanthropic community in supporting underserved communities.
In an era where technology and general-news are increasingly intertwined, the closure of a tech-related philanthropic initiative like The Primary School raises questions about the impact of systemic racism and political influences on education and social services.