Zuckerberg Closes Schools for Minority Communities, Coordinating with Trump's Policies to Limit Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
In 2016, social media kingpin Mark Zuckerberg and his spouse, Priscilla Chan, established The Primary School, a tuition-free education powerhouse designed to provide low-income families and communities of color access to education, healthcare, and other vital services. Fast forward to 2025, and they've decided to shutter the school's doors at the end of the current academic year, citing funding issues as the primary reason—an odd predicament considering their vast wealth.
Over the past decade, The Primary School played a crucial role in challenging the obstacles faced by families living in impoverished areas with limited access to quality education services. Incorporating a diverse team of educational professionals, medical practitioners, and family support specialists, the school aimed to extend resources to underserved communities. The school's website identified the struggle faced by communities of color due to systemic racism, emphasizing that they often lacked the means to afford or access adequate services[2][4].
The decision to close The Primary School raises eyebrows, as it seems to align with Zuckerberg's recent efforts to cozy up to conservative circles. Earlier this year, Meta, Zuckerberg's tech empire, scrapped its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs[4]. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a philanthropic arm supporting The Primary School, also phased out its DEI efforts, removing its mentions of inclusivity and economic fairness from its website[4]. This move follows the Trump administration's crackdown on DEI initiatives in various contexts, including school funding[3].
For the families who have relied on The Primary School's holistic approach to their children's education, the closure comes as a devastating blow. Parents like Veronica Van Leeuwaarde, a mom of two students who attended The Primary School, recount how school employees assisted her in navigating her son's learning difficulties, eventually leading to his diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)[3].
The school will offer affected families payment ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to help them enroll their children in another school[3]. The funds, however, fall short of covering the average cost of private elementary school tuition in Palo Alto (around $35,000) or even the average amount across California ($16,500)[3].
Despite the financial woes cited by The Primary School, the Chronicle notes that contributions declined from $8 million in 2022 to $3.7 million in 2023, suggesting a clear decline in funding[3]. Given Zuckerberg's net worth sits at a staggering nearly $200 billion, many question why the school hasn't received the necessary support to sustain its operations[3]. Instead, the Zuckerberg-CZI partnership is investing $50 million in providing educational and family support services in the East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and East Bay areas, but not in continuing The Primary School as it was[2][4]. Ultimately, The Primary School's closure underscores the challenges of maintaining comprehensive, tuition-free educational models for underserved populations even with significant initial philanthropic investments[2][4][5].
In light of the decision to close The Primary School, questions arise regarding the future of education-and-self-development for low-income families and communities of color, especially given recent changes in tech giant Meta's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which echo broader trends in politics. Gizmodo reports that the school's closure coincides with Zuckerberg's apparent alignment with conservative circles, raising concerns about the potential impact on general-news coverage and Tech industry efforts to support education-and-self-development.
