Zuckerberg has operated a school for children on his estate. However, because he did not apply for a license, the school must now close. For years, neighbors complained about noise, dirt, and traffic.
Various magazines, including Wired and the New York Times, have reported that a school founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan must now close. Zuckerberg is among the richest people in the world and reportedly increased his fortune by 79 billion euros in 2024, according to Business Insider.
The couple had operated the school on their estate in Palo Alto. Neighbors complained about excessive noise, dirt, and heavy traffic in front of the building. But one problem overshadowed everything: Zuckerberg apparently forgot to obtain a license for the school from the city. And that is now coming back to haunt him.
A School for Children Without the Official License
The project started in 2021 and initially offered special education-like instruction for about 35 to 40 children. Here arose the first problem: Officially, only 14 children were registered with the education authority.
The school was apparently already operating at that time without the necessary approval. This was said to be in violation of the local regulations of the city of Palo Alto. Palo Alto prohibits businesses, including private schools, from operating in residential areas if the staff do not reside there and if more traffic is generated than a normal single-family home would entail. Such use would require special authorization from the city, which Zuckerberg did not obtain.
Residents also complained for years about noise, increased traffic, security personnel, and lack of transparency towards the neighborhood.
How did it end? The city of Palo Alto eventually set a deadline for the Zuckerberg family to close the school, as no school may operate in a residential area without official authorization.
The spokesperson for Palo Alto, Meghan Horrigan-Taylor, stated to Wired that a representative of the Zuckerbergs informed the city that the family wished to relocate the school to “another location where private schools are permitted by law”.
This reminds us of another school closure for which Zuckerberg is also responsible. In this case, Zuckerberg and his wife were considered the main sponsors of a school for children from low-income families. However, Zuckerberg has discontinued financial support for the school: Mark Zuckerberg increased his fortune by 79 billion euros in 2024, but his school for poor children must now close due to lack of funds.
