Zuckerberg-Priscilla Charter School to Shut Down After Decade; Parents Left in Astonishment
A Surprise Shutdown for Zuckerberg's Tiny School
Mark Zuckerberg, the big cheese of Meta, and his better half, Priscilla Chan, had opened a school in sunny California for low-income communities of color a few years back. Situated just a stone's throw away from Meta's headquarters, this tuition-free haven was the brainchild of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in East Palo Alto. But now, it's time to pack up and move on.
The kids and their parents, who had grown quite fond of the place, were gathered for breakfast when the devastating news hit - the school was closing shop at the end of the 2025-26 school year. According to a report in The New York Times, the downtrodden look on the parents' faces couldn't be missed.
"After much contemplation, our schools in East Palo Alto and the East Bay will cease operations as of the end of the 2025-26 school year. This wasn't an easy call, and we remain committed to ensuring a smooth and considerate transition for students and their families over the next year," read the statement.
"To preserve The Primary School's legacy, CZI will dedicate a whopping $50 million over the upcoming years for the betterment of the East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and East Bay communities," it continued.
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'The Guy Who Made Us Smile'
Parent Emeline Vainikolo was taken aback when her kindergartner son told her why the school was shutting down.
"'Mommy, the guy [Zuckerberg] who's been making us smile at our school doesn't want to spend on us anymore,'" he reportedly said.
The school initially had just preschoolers, but it was expecting to expand its horizons, catering to toddlers through eighth graders, one grade at a time. The upcoming 2025-26 school year was set to be the first for the eighth graders, arguably the saddest marker for the school.
Though the exact reasons for the shutdown are sketchy, the announcement came amidst a sea change in Zuckerberg's political beliefs. Recently, he's been making some pretty drastic moves to please the Trump administration.
At Meta, Zuckerberg has already seen fit to scrap the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The company, we hear, is focusing more on providing "equitable and unbiased practices for all irrespective of their background."
- Mark Zuckerberg, along with Priscilla Chan, had offered a tuition-free education-and-self-development opportunity to low-income communities of color in 2025, through their school in East Palo Alto, which was a part of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
- Despite the school's positive impact, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced its closure at the end of the 2025-26 school year, citing a need for a smooth and considerate transition for the students and their families.
- In an effort to preserve the school's legacy, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative planned to offer $50 million for the betterment of the East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and East Bay communities.
- The school closure came amidst a shift in Zuckerberg's political beliefs, with rumors suggesting he was making drastic moves to appease the Trump administration, which may have indirectly influenced the decision to shut down the school.
