November 6, 2025
Cluck U vs NIMBY U
Mark Zuckerberg Had Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. Neighbors Revolted
Neighbors vs Zuck: “Chicken School” sparks a suburban meltdown
TLDR: WIRED says Zuckerberg ran an unlicensed “chicken” school at his Palo Alto compound, fueling years of complaints about noise, guards, and traffic. Comments split between anti-Zuck outrage, Bay Area NIMBY mockery, and shrugs that this is city life; the city denies giving him special treatment.
Mark Zuckerberg’s Palo Alto mega-compound allegedly hosted an unlicensed micro-school—reportedly named after the family’s pet chicken—and the neighborhood went full HOA-on-steroids. WIRED says neighbors spent years filing complaints about noise, bodyguards, and traffic, and the school operating without a permit. The city insists it treats Zuck like anyone else, but neighbors called it “preferential treatment.” Somewhere in Crescent Park, a guy famously surrounded on three sides by Zuckerberg properties still refuses to sell, per NYT, which only adds gasoline to the gossip fire.
The comments section is a carnival. One camp is furious at billionaire sprawl; another is roasting Bay Area “permit culture.” People are tossing around NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) like confetti. One user joked it’s just “a normal day in the city,” while another dunked on local politics: in the Bay, “neighbors will revolt if you grill a steak without a permit.” Meanwhile, a sharp take asks why governments make a school illegal; others clap back that rules are rules, even for tech kings. Memes? Yep—“Cluck U,” “Chicken Academy,” and jokes about campus cops shooing away Teslas. The city says no special treatment; the community says “lol, sure.” The vibe: Silicon Valley soap opera with feathers.
Key Points
- •Neighbors alleged an unlicensed school operated at Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s Palo Alto compound as early as 2021, without required permits.
- •WIRED obtained 1,665 pages of city records showing years of complaints about zoning, construction noise, private security presence, and traffic.
- •Neighbors estimated up to 30 students may have been enrolled and pursued action until summer 2025 to stop the school.
- •City spokesperson Meghan Horrigan-Taylor said Palo Alto enforced rules consistently and did not give special treatment, citing meetings, site visits, and updates.
- •The compound has expanded to include 11 properties, heightening neighborhood concerns since at least 2016.