Facebook's Zuckerberg, Chan to open new local school

Bravo, Mark and Priscilla!Thank you!

Why isn't the Chan/Zuckerberg family putting their efforts behind supporting public education in the Ravenswood School District?

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because they're building a hospital instead. Look a gift horse in the mouth much? You're welcome.

"Buada said other organizations have been collaborators in developing the new school, including the Ravenswood City School District ..."

So I take by this that they are being fully cooperative.

Yes, bravo to Mark & Priscilla - we are very fortunate to have them in the "neighborhood". Public School Supporter - please note among many other donations to local public school programs, in May of 2014 they donated $120 million to underserved public schools in the area including the Ravenswood school district.

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Thank God they are not wasting their money on public education. Zuckerberg was already burned once my New Jersey public schools. Public education is broken because of teacher unions and the best that can be done is to avoid this system.

This is a good investment. A holistic approach is what is needed, and the parents must be supported and involved. Solving these problems is a multigenerational issue, not just an election cycle. As a moderate Republican, I support them.

While I appreciate the Zuckerbergs' public example of philanthropy and hope that others with similar means would do the same, in my experience as a 20 year volunteer In EPA and eastern Menlo Park, their mission seems off the mark. East of Bayshore is filled with well-intentioned non-profits, all providing "services" for the community. Most scramble to find clients who can help them fulfill their missions. JobTrain provides training, but a client must be able to attend months of training without being paid, which means someone else in their family is working and can afford to pay the bills. College Track provides college and high school support, but the kids must be able to afford all the incidentals of actually going to college to actually go. HIP Housing has money to subsidize rent for its clients, but the client has to find an affordable place to live to have the rent subsidy make a difference. None of the schools in Ravenswood CSD are terrible, but they are all filled with children living in poverty, many with immigrant parents with a very different experience of formal education. Home life is unstable and unstructured due to lack of privacy and parents needing to work constantly to make ends meet.

Poverty is the great divider along Highway 101. The eastern community needs a reliable long term source of sustainable employment for the parents of these children. It's all fun and games when bright eyed elementary school children go to after school enrichment, but it falls flat when they enter middle and high school and become aware of the unfair impoverished world that defines their lives. Focusing on preschoolers is great, but someone also needs to focus on the thousands of kids over the age of 5 and underemployed adults and figure out a way out for them too.

@ Boardermom - While I agree with all your points (lots of non-profits trying to help, parents need work, etc.) I think the fact that the Zuckerberg/Chan plan appears to take a more "whole family" approach is the right idea. It is a multi-generational view that is needed - we must help the parents and the kids at the same time. As you say, since the kids have "immigrant parents with a very different experience of formal education", the parents may not value what their children are being offered and need help themselves to see how it is good. It sounds like they are both planning on educating the entire family and working with them to make the program practical for them (longer hours, etc.).

(I'm not saying the kids older than preschool are a lost cause - I am saying that this is a good plan, starting with the preschoolers.)

You said "The eastern community needs a reliable long term source of sustainable employment for the parents of these children." There appears to be plenty employment for those that want to work, and programs to put workers and employers together. What is more important is that the preschoolers see a way to change their status and see a way out of the cycle, and still feel like they are part of their family and community. Thus, the multi-faceted, multi-generational approach is hopefully a better approach than piecemeal programs.