Secret of DEI-fixated school set up by Mark Zuckerberg that he's just shut down
Two primary school locations funded by Mark Zuckerberg's joint foundation with his wife, Priscilla Chan, have abruptly closed after the school struggled to progress academically and find investors.
The Primary School launched in 2015 and opened a year later with funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in East Bay and East Palo Alto, California, but is now shuttering its doors.
The school announced that resources would be available for parents to find a replacement and that classes would continue through the 2025-2026 term.
The Primary School was a passion project for Chan, who helped build the school with educator Meredith Liu.
It aimed to help low-income families in the community who were priced out of their neighborhoods when Meta built their headquarters in the neighboring Silicon Valley.
The school promoted diversity, equity and inclusion, and was branded as a way for the Zuckerberg's to give back to the community.
However, the school had a high turnover rate and officials weren't able to secure additional funding from the public sphere or other private investors because they couldn't demonstrate improvements.
Jean-Claude Brizard, the chairman of the board of directors, told the New York Times that attempts to secure funds repeatedly fell flat.
The Primary School, a private institution with two locations in California, is abruptly closing after 10 years
The school's funding was through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, launching just miles away from Meta headquarters
Priscilla Chan (left) founded the school in 2015 to prioritize healthcare and education in low-income communities
'If something is fully reliant on philanthropic funding — or even frankly 50 percent — that is not sustainable long term,' Brizard said.
He admitted that he had advocated for the 'nuclear option' and posed whether it was time to invest in the community in other ways.
The school's statement said that CZI is making a $50 million investment in the communities and will provide parents with 'transitional specialists' to find new schools for students.
'This was a very difficult decision, and we are committed to ensuring a thoughtful and supportive transition for students and families over the next year,' The Primary School's statement read.
Students in East Bay will be transferred to other schools in the area, while East Palo Alto is collaborating with Ravenswood City School District to take in the displaced students.
'Over the years the District has added dedicated family engagement roles, strengthened health programs, and expanded early childhood care,' the school's statement read.
'We look forward to sharing our learnings to support their bolstering of crucial student and family services.'
The school administration or CZI offered a reason for the abrupt closure, but parents have speculated that the decision was a result of Trump's crackdown on DEI policies.
Despite the school's massive funding from CZI, it struggled to secure additional funds from other private investors or the public sector
The school championed DEI and had a diverse student body, with 85 percent of the students identifying as people of color and 67 percent of leadership hires identifying the same
Zuckerberg has strayed away from left-leaning and philanthropic causes, following in President Trump's lead by ending DEI efforts at Meta.
The company has also loosened restrictions on hate speech since Trump took office, and CZI also shut down DEI initiatives.
The Primary School had frequently boasted DEI efforts and committed to antiracism learning in 2020.
The mission of the schools was to bolster a team effort approach in raising a child, acknowledging the disproportionate challenges marginalized communities face.
'Because of systemic racism, communities of color are disproportionately affected by these challenges and have the added burden of not being able to afford or access adequate services,' their website reads.
The school's website also outlines a comprehensive DEI plan, detailing a task force that was formed in 2020 and has continued up until last year.
The plan detailed four pillars of anti-racism, which included pursuing equitable outcomes for students and families, strengthening DEI practices with staff, speaking out and taking action, and staying active and accountable.
Brizard told the New York Times that the decision to close the school wasn't due to crackdowns on DEI, and CZI told the publication that they were still committed to helping the community in other ways.
The school's chairman of the board of directors said that the decision to close the school was not a result of the Trump administration's crackdown on DEI
However, impacted parents are demanding answers, wondering why the schools were closed out of nowhere.
Emeline Vainikolo told the Times that the parents received the shocking news during a breakfast meeting held by school administrators.
She explained that the parents were left 'dumbfounded' and they weren't given a reason for the closures.
'He's a billionaire. Why would he want to close this?' Vainikolo questioned.
Another mother slammed Chan, 'Overnight, she gave us a complete reversal that none of us could have imagined.'
'That's all we ask with our heart — that she support us and not leave us halfway with our children.'
Parent Isabel Vargas told the San Francisco Standard that the school was 'highly publicized as a gift to the community.'
'They were already taking our homes because of Facebook, landlords pricing us out. Now they're gonna take this away too. It seems unfair.'
Other parents spoke of the hole the closure will leave in their community, with Veronica Van Leeuwaarde noting employees at the school helped her schedule an appointment so that her son could receive an ADHD diagnosis.
'Honestly, just talking about it makes me want to cry, because it's just impacted my family so much,' she said.
Parents said that the school's abrupt closure will leave a hold in their community as they now have to grapple with finding alternatives for their students
Parents questioned the reasoning for the closure, as The Primary School's administration and CZI declined to provide a comprehensive reason for the decision
When Zuckerberg announced the schools in 2015, he noted that, 'Health and education are closely connected. When children aren't healthy, they can't learn as easily.
'Many kids and teachers across the country deal with the consequences of poor health in classrooms every day.
He praised his wife for noticing the connection between health and education during her work as a pediatrician and teacher.
The school was intended to bring quality healthcare and education together for low-income communities that typically don't have access to either.
The abrupt closure has underscored this message, leaving parents to wonder what led to the decision.
DailyMail.com reached out to CZI and the Primary School for comment, but didn't immediately hear back.
