Mark Zuckerberg: Becoming a father inspires me to make education better
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks there's no better time to help "unlock human potential" with his resources than now.
The fact that he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are expecting their first child in part serves as inspiration for education-oriented philanthropic projects the couple is pursuing, according to a Facebook post Zuckerberg published Thursday.
CNN Money reported Zuckerberg also detailed a slew of new initiatives dealing with schools in the post.
"Soon we're going to be parents," Zuckerberg's post read. "And we care deeply about doing everything we can so all children — not just ours — can grow up and achieve their full potential."
Zuckerberg and Chan put their goals in two categories: "unlocking human potential" and "promoting equality," according to CNN Money. Long-term projects include funding new schools that promote "personalized learning" and giving money to existing school projects.
The couple's education foundation, Startup:Education, shows ways Zuckerberg and Chan want to influence education in particular, Navindra Persaud wrote for Education World.
"Last year, the not-for-profit committed $120 million over five years to support education programs in underserved, local communities in the San Francisco Bay Area," Education World's report read. "That way, the couple can 'stay closely involved with the community.'"
Education World noted Zuckerberg hasn't stopped with finding solutions in underserved communities, though; he and Chan hope to combine health care services and early childhood programming.
That's where the Primary School, in Palo Alto, California, comes into play, Cathaleen Chen wrote for The Christian Science Monitor.
Chan is spearheading the new school's opening, and The Monitor reported the ties between education and health make The Primary School distinct.
"I'm so proud of Priscilla for starting The Primary School — a new kind of school that brings education and health care together," a Zuckerberg post from late October stated. "Health and education are closely connected. When children aren't healthy, they can't learn as easily."
Parker Molloy noted for Upworthy other reasons the school is the couple's "most hands-on school reform project to date."
For one, it could expand how people define the term "school," according to Upworthy.
The bottom line: It's more than a place to sit in a desk while listening to lectures.
"By integrating education, health and family support services starting at birth, TPS will expand the traditional definition of 'school' in order to prepare all children to succeed in college, career and life," Upworthy quoted the school's FAQ page as reading.
Upworthy's report detailed prior education projects Zuckerberg took on also, including his $100 million donation to Newark, New Jersey's public school system in 2010.
Zuckerberg appeared on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" then to announce he made the move to "fix" Newark's schools.
In 2015, "that plan is in tatters," Molly Hensley-Clancy wrote for BuzzFeed.
"Tens of millions of dollars were spent far away from classrooms, on things like $1000-a-day consultants and $30 million in backpay for the teachers union," BuzzFeed's piece indicated. "A gulf grew between the successful charter schools Zuckerberg opened and the district schools, which continued to struggle. While graduation rates at public schools increased, test scores never really did."
According to Upworthy, consensus about the initiative's failures state Zuckerberg's money wasn't well-spent by people tasked with putting the reforms into practice.
Still, Upworthy's article stated that Zuckerberg's willingness to put his resources into causes is great to see.
"Right on, Zuck!" the piece read.
Send Payton Davis an email at pdavis@deseretdigital.com and follow him on Twitter, @Davis_DNN.
