Zuckerberg Closes Schools Primarily for Communities of Color amidst Trump's Intensified Crackdown on Diversity and Equity Initiatives
Scoop: The Primary School, a private education institution that caters to underserved families and communities of color, announced its closure for the 2026-27 school year, leaving families with a bitter taste in their mouths and an uncertain future. Mark Zuckerberg, the school's co-founder, and his partner, Dr. Priscilla Chan, are everywhere around town, but their lavish mansions won't have room for The Primary School anymore - all thanks to a supposed funding shortage.
After a decade of providing hope to those who've been battling against the systemic racism and crippling poverty, The Primary School is closing its doors. Not because the school's mission is fulfilled, but because the wallets of those in power opened and then promptly shut - leaving families high and dry.
When The Primary School first swung its doors wide open, it was with a clear understanding of the struggles confronting low-income families and the communities of color they resonate with. The school's website leaves no room for doubt, "Thanks to systemic racism, communities of color are disproportionately affected by the fierce challenges…that usually lead to a lack of access to adequate services"[1]. Armed with a diverse cadre of professionals in education, healthcare, and family support, The Primary School worked tirelessly to close the gap.
But now, it seems, The Primary School smells a lot like a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiative, which is apparently a death sentence according to the Trump administration. Lately, Mark Zuckerberg has been bending over backward to curry favor with the former President and the dark shadows lurking in his twisted entourage.
As recent as earlier this year, Meta, Zuckerberg's baby, axed its DEI programs and swept any mention of inclusivity or economic fairness from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the philanthropic arm that funded The Primary School in the first place[2]. CZI also cut its dependency on its DEI team, further fueling the speculation that these initiatives are pariahs.
For families who built their dreams around The Primary School, the closure is nothing short of a gut punch. Beyond merely offering education, the school offered lifelines - helping families cope with healthcare hurdles, dealing with learning difficulties, advocating for their rights, and so much more.
Veronica Van Leeuwaarde, a mother of two students, told the San Francisco Standard, “Honestly, just talking about it makes me want to cry…The impact on my family has been immense”[3]. Thanks to the school’s resources, she succeeded in navigating a diagnostic hurdle for her son with ADHD, a task that would’ve been nearly impossible for her alone.
The school is offering families financial aid to cover transition costs, between $1,000 and $10,000[4]. But with private elementary school tuition in Palo Alto ringing in at around $35,000 yearly and averaging $16,500 statewide[4], this small sum won't take families that far.
It seems ironic that critics have been attacking Zuckerberg for years over confidentiality and the protection of personal data, yet he's dropping a school in the aftermath of a relatively small dip in funding. The San Francisco Chronicle noted that The Primary School's contributions fell from $8 million in 2022 to $3.7 million in 2023, a steep decline indeed[4]. But isn't The Primary School the kind of worthy cause that merits a morsel of spending from those with nearly $200 billion in net worth[5]?
[1] https://www.theprimaryschool.org/[2] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/15/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-removes-diversity-and-inclusion-references-causing-uproar-within-company[3] https://sfstandard.com/education/2023/05/22/the-primary-school-closing- Its-latest-victims-families-look-for-other-options/.amp[4] https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/The-Primary-School-to-close- after-10-years-17548667.php[5] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-11/mark-zuckerberg-just-promised-to-give-most-of-net-worth-away
- The closure of The Primary School, a school that focused on education and self-development for underserved families and communities of color, has raised questions about the priorities of tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and his partner, Dr. Priscilla Chan, whose funding shortage allegedly led to the school's closure.
- The closure of The Primary School, which also provided general news and politically-engaged families with resources for healthcare, learning difficulties, and advocacy, highlights the stark contrast between the school's mission and the tech industry's perceived apathy towards diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
- As tech giants like Meta, previously funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, cut their ties with DEI programs and sweep away any semblance of inclusivity or economic fairness, it appears that funding for schools like The Primary School may be a casualty of this trend, despite the significant impact they have on the lives of families who depend on them.
