Zuckerberg Closes Down Schools for Communities of Color amid Trump's Intensified Discrimination and Equity Initiatives Crackdown
Updated Article:
Mark Zuckerberg's Shuttered School: The Mysterious End of The Primary School
Oh, boy! 2016 was a time, wasn't it? Zuck and his better half, pediatrician Priscilla Chan, threw open the doors of The Primary School - a tuition-free gem designed to aid low-income families and people of color, giving 'em education, healthcare, and essential services. Fast-forward ten years and bam! They're calling it quits... supposedly due to lack of funding. We're talking about billionaires here, folks! So, something feels off.
As this school opened its gates to students in Eastie P.A., there was a ton of systemic racism ladies and gents. The school's website explicitly acknowledged the state of things: "Communities of color bear the brunt of a broken system and can't access adequate resources," the site stated. So, what did The Primary School do about it? They roped in a diverse crew of educators, healthcare providers, and family supporters to extend a helping hand.
Fast-forward to today, and it's a whole different ballgame. Looks like The Primary School is nothing more than DEI kryptonite to certain political parties, and ol' Zuck has been kissing some very unfavored backsides recently.
This year, Meta axed its DEI programs, and surprise, surprise - it hit the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative too. The CZI wiped all traces of inclusiveness or fairness from its website, and The Guardian confirmed it scrapped its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) team. Remember Trump's war against DEI? He tried to take away federal funds from schools that dared to speak up for inclusivity. Could this be the final nail in The Primary School's coffin?
The decision has left some families in tatters. Veronica Van Leeuwaarde, a mother of two Primary School students, broke down when speaking to the San Francisco Standard. She revealed The Primary School helped her navigate her son's learning difficulties, eventually leading to an ADHD diagnosis. This diagnosis and the subsequent treatment would have been a real struggle for her otherwise. "Just talking about it makes me want to cry," she said.
The school is offering families between $1k and $10k to help them enroll in another school, but that's not going to get 'em far. The average private elementary school tuition in Palo Alto is around $35,000, and $16,500 statewide.
The San Francisco Chronicle noted a significant drop in contributions - from $8 million in 2022 to $3.7 million in 2023. If the Chan-Zuckerbergs - who are worth a cool $200 billion combined - can't spare a few bucks to keep this place open, it makes you wonder what they were raising all that dough for, huh?
Kudos to them for committing $50 million to help the affected communities in the coming years, though, with a focus on early learning, healthcare, and parent services. Something to help ease the pain a bit. It just can't bring The Primary School back.
Enrichment Data Integrated:
The school, co-founded by educator Meredith Liu, served hundreds of students primarily from Latino families and provided comprehensive services for 10 years. Following the closure, CZI has committed to investing $50 million in the affected communities over the next few years to facilitate a transition for students and families.
- The tech world and Gizmodo might find it intriguing that Mark Zuckerberg's school, The Primary School, is shutting down amidst claims of lack of funding, despite the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative being worth billions.
- In the realm of education-and-self-development, it's disheartening to see the closure of The Primary School, which aided low-income families and communities of color, as it provided essential services that were often inaccessible due to systemic racism.
- The future of politics and general news might have a significant shift as the decision to close The Primary School, once a symbol of inclusivity, seems to be influenced by recent changes in Meta's DEI policies and the scrutiny of certain political parties.
