Virginia Saudi Academy Gets Zoning Exemption

Yesterday, by a vote of 6-4, the Fairfax County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors agreed to grant the Islamic Saudi Academy a zoning exemption so it can expand its second campus. The Washington Post reports that this will allow the school to eventually enroll 500 more students. Currently around 1000 attend, 80% of whom are U.S. citizens. The Academy is the only Saudi-government funded school in the U.S. It has revised its curriculum several times in recent years after high-profile criticism of references in textbooks to intolerance and violence. (See prior posting.) However the curriculum is still guided by Wahhabist ideas. (See prior related posting.)