A proposed charter school in suburban Dallas will be among the few in Texas providing Arabic and French classes to elementary students.
Leaders of Manara Academy - which is scheduled to open in August in Coppell - say it’s important to emphasize Arabic, especially when government officials are seeking more Arabic speakers.
Arabic is 1 of the most commonly spoken foreign languages among children in the state, but most of the schools teaching Arabic are near Houston or in South Texas.
The president of the school’s board, Ehap Sabri, told The Dallas Morning News, there’s a domestic demand for Arabic speakers, and there is a gap in Texas.
School organizers said there are limited ways to learn Arabic, while Spanish dual-language schools are much more common in Texas.
Though leaders from the Islamic Center of Irving mosque have promoted the school, board members say it’s open to everyone, not just Muslim students.
School organizers say Manara means beacon or lighthouse in Arabic.
