Zuckerbergs’ ‘pandemic pod’ school forced to close after neighbor backlash

The Zuckerbergs were forced to close a private school they opened during the pandemic after neighbors complained, according to a new report.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla, a pediatrician, opened what the San Francisco Chronicle described as a "pandemic pod" for their children and the children of their friends after schools closed during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Zuckerbergs filed paperwork with the city of Palo Alto, California, to formally establish the school, The Chronicle reported.

In all, about 14 children attended the school, according to The Chronicle. It also employed several full-time staff members and was located on the Zuckerbergs' compound. It was initially opened to "support childcare and education" for the children and has continued to "provide stability" for them since it opened, the report reads.

However, that arrangement began to unravel after neighbors complained about "big vehicles with darkened windows” picking up children from the school for field trips, the report states.

“Mark, Priscilla and their children have made Palo Alto their home for more than a decade,” a spokesperson for the family told the outlet. “They value being members of the community and have taken a number of steps above and beyond any local requirements to avoid disruption in the neighborhood.”

Palo Alto's zoning code requires business owners in residential areas to live on the premises full-time or ensure the business does not meaningfully increase traffic, according to the report.

Read the entire report by clicking here.