When Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook he became the youngest self-made billionaire of all-time and now he’s given back with a $100 million donation to the Newark public school system.
Newarks Democratic Mayor Corey Booker helped secure the funds which will be officially announced alongside New Jersey governor Chris Christie this Friday on the Oprah Winfrey show. With the $100 million Booker expected to find matching funds, giving the school district $200 million in much needed money.
The money is expected to reverse state control of the school system, instead putting it back into the hands of Newark and more specifically under the country of Booker. Under his control Booker is expected to go against local teaching unions and expanded charter school and set new teacher appraisal standards.
Zuckerberg according to the New York Times has no previous connections with the New Jersey school system, however he met Booker in July at a conference and he was very impressed with the mayor’s ideas for education reform.
The Guardian believes the donations is a well planted and timed event, a donation which may take some sting out of the largely sensationalized (by Zuckerbergs account) biopic of his life titled The Social Network which will go into general release tomorrow.
