View source for Islamic Saudi Academy

{{short description|Former university preparatory school in Virginia, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Coord|38.73146|N|77.101954|W|display=title}}
{{Infobox school
|name=          Islamic Saudi Academy
|native_name= الاكاديمية الاسلامية السعودية
|image= Former Mount Vernon HS building.jpg
|caption = The former Islamic Saudi Academy, originally [[Mount Vernon High School (Virginia)|Mount Vernon High School]], in [[Mount Vernon, Virginia]], in 2018
|image_size=     350px
|motto=         
|streetaddress= Main: 8333 Richmond Highway, [[Mount Vernon, Virginia]] 22309<br />West: 11121 Pope's Head Rd, [[Fairfax, Virginia]] 22030 
|url=           [http://www.saudiacademy.net www.saudiacademy.net]
|district=      
|principal=     Abdulrahman Alghofaili
|staff=         
|fundingtype=   Private
|schooltype=    
|grades=        [[Pre-kindergarten|Pre-K]]–12
|language=      [[American English|English]] and [[Arabic]]
|communities=   
|feeder_schools=       
|campus=        Suburban
|mascot=        
|colors=        
|founded=       1984
|closed=        2016
|enrollment=    
|enrollment_as_of= 
|free_label_2=  
|free_2=        
}}

'''The Islamic Saudi Academy of Washington''' ({{langx|ar|الاكاديمية الاسلامية السعودية}}) was an [[International Baccalaureate]] (IB) World  [[University-preparatory school|university preparatory school]] in [[Northern Virginia]], accredited with the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]] and authorized by IB in December 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibo.org/school/003399/|work=ibo.org|title=Islamic Saudi Academy|access-date=August 28, 2009}}</ref> It had classes from [[pre-kindergarten]] to [[twelfth grade]], and had a final enrollment of more than 1,200 students.<ref name=ABOUTISA>{{cite web|url=http://www.saudiacademy.net/html/about_ISA.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2006-09-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825000209/http://www.saudiacademy.net/html/about_ISA.html |archive-date=2006-08-25 }}</ref>

The academy was funded by the [[List of diplomatic missions of Saudi Arabia|Embassy of Saudi Arabia]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>McEvers, Kelly. "[http://www.slate.com/id/2226874/entry/2226876/ Americans Complain About a Saudi School in Suburban Virginia] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605235727/http://www.slate.com/id/2226874/entry/2226876/ |date=June 5, 2011 }}." ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]''. Tuesday September 8, 2009. Retrieved on November 5, 2009.</ref> In 2011, ISA graduated its first international baccalaureate class. Four students received their full IB diploma and one of them was able to earn bilingual diploma. As of 2007, approximately 30% of the roughly 1,000 students were Saudi Arabian citizens.<ref name="Washington Post"/> The school closed in 2016, replaced by the new [[King Abdullah Academy]] later that year.<ref name=":0" />

==Overview==
{{See also|Single-sex school}}
The school was founded in 1984 by the [[Government of Saudi Arabia]]. Located in [[Fairfax County, Virginia]], the school offered instruction from pre-kindergarten through twelve. The school was [[bilingual]], with mandatory classes in [[English language|English]] and [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. However, they also offered other languages such as [[Spanish language|Spanish]].

{{OSM Location map
|float = right
|width=475
| coord = {{coord|38.8321|-77.1968}}              
| mark-coord1  = {{coord|38.7311597 |-77.1015013 }} ||label1 =East   |label-pos1  = bottom<!--8333 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22309  -->
| mark-coord2 = {{coord|38.8122619  |-77.33099299999998 }} |label2=West    |label-pos2 = left<!-- 11121 Pope's Head Rd Fairfax, VA 22030-->
| zoom = 10             <!--(1=whole world, 18=a street)-->
| caption = Campuses in [[Fairfax County, Virginia]]
}}

{{Location  map+|Virginia|width=450|float=right|caption=Campuses|places=
{{location map~|Virginia|lat=38.7311597|long=-77.1015013|mark=green pog.svg|marksize =5|label = <small>Main</small>|position=right}}<!--8333 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22309  -->
{{location map~|Virginia|lat=38.8122619|long=-77.33099299999998|mark=green pog.svg|marksize =5|label = <small>West</small>|position=left}}<!-- 11121 Pope's Head Rd Fairfax, VA 22030-->
}}

==History==
The school was founded in August 1984 by a decree of [[Fahd of Saudi Arabia|King Fahd]] and originally served grades K–6.<ref name=Clifford1984>{{cite news|last=Clifford|first=George III|title=Cultures Mix in Fairfax|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=21 December 1984|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1984/12/21/cultures-mix-in-fairfax/d7d3e2f4-6a39-4ece-97bf-2beabbddaf2e/}}</ref> The Saudi government purchased the 34-acre campus of the former Fairfax Christian School in Fairfax from owner [[Robert L. Thoburn]] for $3 million as a site for the school.<ref name=Clifford1984 />

The school proved so popular that by 1986 the school rented the former Dunn Loring Elementary School, which had closed in 1978, to provide space for its burgeoning student body.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudis to Rent Va. School|date=10 May 1986|id={{ProQuest|139001045}}}}</ref>

Following the leasing of the Dunn Loring site, the school expanded its education program to include grades 7–12.<ref name=Mansfield1988-7-21>{{cite news|last=Mansfield|first=Virginia|title=Vacant School May be Renovated, Leased|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=21 July 1988|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1988/07/21/vancant-school-may-be-renovated-leased/b63fa338-7f9e-4bc4-8a25-085f36913def/}}</ref>

When the lease on the Dunn Loring site expired, the school leased the former [[Mount Vernon High School (Alexandria, Virginia)|Mount Vernon High School]] in [[Mount Vernon, Virginia]], near [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]],<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20120307171055/http://www.saudiacademy.net/2008AboutISA.html About ISA]". The Islamic Saudi Academy of Washington. Retrieved on July 25, 2016. "8333 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, Virginia 22309".</ref><ref>"[http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st51_va/place/p5154144_mount_vernon/DC10BLK_P5154144_001.pdf 2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Mount Vernon CDP, VA]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170202023408/http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st51_va/place/p5154144_mount_vernon/DC10BLK_P5154144_001.pdf Archive]). [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on July 25, 2016.</ref> spending $5 million to renovate the nearly 50-year-old building.<ref>Mansfield incorrectly gives the age of the former Mount Vernon High School as 51 years. MVHS opened in 1939.</ref><ref name=Mansfield1988-8-4>{{cite news|last=Mansfield|first=Virginia|title=Saudi Academy to Fund Fairfax School Face Lift|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=4 August 1988|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1988/08/04/saudi-academy-to-fund-fairfax-school-face-lift/ee37f822-cc74-4c56-b299-ee0efe43096f/}}</ref> The academy moved into the Alexandria site in 1989.<ref>{{cite news|last=Downey|first=Kirstin|title=Board Extends Saudi School's Lease|date=22 May 2008|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/21/AR2008052102650.html}}</ref> For much of its history it maintained two campuses: the main campus near Alexandria and the West Campus in [[Fairfax Station]], near [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080509165720/http://www.saudiacademy.net/ Home page]. Islamic Saudi Academy. May 9, 2008. Retrieved on July 25, 2016. "Main Campus (Grades 2 - 12) 8333 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22309[...]West Campus (Grades JK - 1) 11121 Pope's Head Rd Fairfax, VA 22030"</ref><ref>"[http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st51_va/place/p5126592_fairfax_station/DC10BLK_P5126592_001.pdf 2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Fairfax Station CDP, VA]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000839/http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st51_va/place/p5126592_fairfax_station/DC10BLK_P5126592_001.pdf Archive]). [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on July 25, 2016.</ref>

In December 2015 there were plans for the school to move to a new campus near [[Herndon, Virginia|Herndon]].<ref>Olivo, Antonio. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/with-saudi-school-headed-to-herndon-future-of-mt-vernon-site-up-in-the-air/2015/12/07/07bf9b6e-9d0f-11e5-bce4-708fe33e3288_story.html With Saudi school headed to Herndon area, Mt. Vernon site use is uncertain] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822114000/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/with-saudi-school-headed-to-herndon-future-of-mt-vernon-site-up-in-the-air/2015/12/07/07bf9b6e-9d0f-11e5-bce4-708fe33e3288_story.html |date=August 22, 2016 }}." ''[[Washington Post]]''. December 7, 2015. Retrieved on July 25, 2016.</ref>

The original ISA closed in June 2016,<ref>[http://www.saudiacademy.net/ Home page] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509165720/http://www.saudiacademy.net/ |date=May 9, 2008 }}. Islamic Saudi Academy. Retrieved on July 25, 2016.</ref> and the new [[King Abdullah Academy]] near Herndon opened in Fall 2016.<ref name=":0">"[http://www.kaa-herndon.com/about.html Overview] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816142318/http://www.kaa-herndon.com/about.html |date=August 16, 2016 }}." [[King Abdullah Academy]]. Retrieved on July 25, 2016.</ref>

==Programs and activities==
The school's curriculum included Islamic studies, Islam for beginners, [[Arabic language]], Arabic ASL, Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, Computers, Art, English, Social Studies, and Physical Education. The school also had an [[Advanced Placement Program]] and an [[English language learning and teaching|English as a second language]] program.<ref name=ABOUTISA /> The school also had the IB program and offered IB English A1 + B, IB Arabic A1+B, IB Biology HL, IB Math HL + SL, IB Art, IB History HL+SL, and IB Psychology, so its students can graduate with an IB diploma.

The ISA is a member of the Northern Virginia Independent Athletic Conference (NVIAC), and participates in the [[basketball]] and [[soccer]] [[sports league|league]]s, fielding both boys' and girls' [[varsity team]]s. The school has 3 football fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saudiacademy.net/html/fastfacts.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2006-09-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912162421/http://www.saudiacademy.net/html/fastfacts.html |archive-date=2006-09-12 }}</ref> The school was a supporter of the [[Mount Vernon Youth Athletic Association]], an all-volunteer community program that uses athletics to teach discipline and good citizenship to area youths. They also had a Teen center for students to improve at sports.

The school participated in various educational and leadership-oriented extracurricular activities. There was an annual [[science fair]] and a [[Shakespearian]] drama program. Students were active participants in the [[Model United Nations]] program, the [[Presidential Classroom]] program, and various other programs.<ref name=ABOUTISA />

==Controversy==
ISA has been accused of promoting religious intolerance.

On February 23, 2005, the day after [[Ahmed Omar Abu Ali]] was indicted on terrorism charges, [[New York (state)|New York]] [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Charles Schumer]] issued a press release questioning whether the ISA was "another [[madrassa]]" (i.e. a school teaching radical Islamic theology. ''Madrassa'' is the Arabic word for school, but in English the term usually refers more narrowly to Islamic institutions of learning.)  Senator Schumer sent letters to Saudi Prince [[Bandar bin Sultan]] and [[U.S. Attorney General]] [[Alberto Gonzales]].<ref>[https://www.senate.gov/~schumer/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2005/PR41490.VAIslamicSchool.022305.html senate.gov] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724034418/https://www.senate.gov/~schumer/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2005/PR41490.VAIslamicSchool.022305.html |date=July 24, 2008 }}</ref>

In October 2007, the [[United States Commission on International Religious Freedom|U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom]] urged the [[US State Department]] to shut down ISA on the grounds it teaches [[religious intolerance]].<ref name="Washington Post"/>  The Commission accused the ISA of promoting religious intolerance that could prove a danger to the United States.  In response ISA officials stated that they had removed offensive passages from the books the previous summer, but did not explain why the Saudi embassy officials had refused to personally make the books available to the Commission.<ref name=washpost-18-10-07>{{cite news|last1=Salmon|first1=Jacqueline L.|last2=Strauss|first2=Valerie|title=State Dept. Urged to Shut Saudi School in Fairfax|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=19 October 2007|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101800024.html}}</ref> Officials of ISA criticized the USCIRF, saying that the panel unfairly damaged the school's reputation, and invited the commission members to review the books; an offer which was refused.<ref name="Washington Post" />  According to the Commission chair he did not take up the academy's offer of making the book available because academy officials wanted mutually acceptable scholars and translators to review the textbooks.<ref name="Washington Post">{{cite news|last=Strauss|first=Valerie|title=School Officials Say U.S. Panel's Call for Closure Hurt Image|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=16 November 2007|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/15/AR2007111502324.html}} Washington Post article about ISA's response to USCIRF report from October 2007</ref>

===Textbook passages===
In June 2008, another USCIRF report stated that textbooks at ISA teach students that it is permissible for Muslims to kill adulterers and converts from Islam, and also teach that, "The Jews conspired against Islam and its people."<ref>{{cite press release|title=Saudi Arabia: USCIRF Confirms Material Inciting Violence, Intolerance Remains in Textbooks Used at Saudi Government's Islamic Saudi Academy|publisher=United States Commission on International Religious Freedom|location=Washington|date=11 June 2008|access-date=10 September 2015|url=http://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/press-releases/saudi-arabia-uscirf-confirms-material-inciting-violence-intolerance-remains}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Hume|first=Brit|title=Homegrown Hate|publisher=[[Fox News]] |date=13 June 2008|access-date=10 September 2015|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,366246,00.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gienger|first=Viola|title=Saudi Academy's Books Promote Violence, Intolerance, Panel Says |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=11 June 2008|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aBqRU9kr7vc4&refer=africa}}</ref> ISA officials issued a press relate stating that the aforementioned textbooks are sorely outdated, and once again invited the USCIRF to visit its campus to review more recent materials. The rejection of such an offer it stated would lead the ISA to doubt the intentions of the investigation.<ref>[http://www.saudiacademy.net//html/pressrelease1.html ISA press release] June 13, 2008  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630094357/http://www.saudiacademy.net//html/pressrelease1.html |date=June 30, 2008 }}</ref>

===Land lease===
ISA's campus was leased from the [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County government]] on a year-to-year lease, and the issue has occasionally been raised that perhaps Fairfax should not continue leasing the land if the ISA's textbooks do promote terrorism or intolerance. On June 23, 2008, Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors made a formal request to [[U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] to determine if Fairfax County should continue to lease the land.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner|first=Amy|title=Board Seeks Input on Islamic School|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=24 June 2008|access-date=10 September 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062301985.html}} Article discussing Fairfax County's request to the State Dept. regarding the land lease to the ISA.</ref>

==Notable individuals connected to ISA==
* [[Ahmed Omar Abu Ali]], [[valedictorian]] of the academy in 1999, was convicted in 2005 on charges of [[Providing material support for terrorism|providing material support]] to the [[al Qaeda]] terrorist network. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. His defense team argued that his first confession in Saudi Arabia had been extracted under [[torture]], but the judge ruled his confession admissible. Courts have upheld his conviction but pushed for a longer sentence.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0643022620080606 |title=Court upholds conviction in Bush al Qaeda plot |last=Vicini |first=James |date=June 6, 2008 |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=December 20, 2020 |quote="A U.S. appeals court on Friday upheld the conviction of an American citizen for plotting to assassinate President George W. Bush and conspiring with al Qaeda, rejecting his claims that he had been tortured into confessing by the Saudi police. As part of its ruling, the appeals court based in Richmond, Virginia, overturned Ahmed Abu Ali's 30-year prison sentence on the grounds it was unreasonably lenient and sent the case back for resentencing." |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220180622/https://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0643022620080606 |archive-date=December 20, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Mohammed Osman Idris and Mohammed el-Yacoubi, both former students of ISA, were denied entry to Israel in December 2001, under suspicion of planning to carry out a suicidal martyr attack.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/03/27/israel-blocked-entry-of-two-nva-men/856414d1-c902-43c1-816f-19286a83ec1e/ |title=Israel Blocked Entry Of Two N.Va. Men |last=Masters |first=Brooke |date=March 27, 2002 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=December 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031113147/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/03/27/israel-blocked-entry-of-two-nva-men/856414d1-c902-43c1-816f-19286a83ec1e/ |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The two were departing JFK International Airport when a letter was found in el-Yacoubi's luggage which was characterized as "a farewell letter...for a suicide mission in the name of Jihad."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2002/03/27/2002-03-27_u_s__muslim_terror_bust__mar.html |title=U.S. MUSLIM TERROR BUST 'Martyr letter' links 3 to suicide bomb plot, FBI says |last=Smith |first=Greg |date=March 27, 2002 |work=[[New York Daily News]] |access-date=December 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011124233/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2002/03/27/2002-03-27_u_s__muslim_terror_bust__mar.html |archive-date=October 11, 2011 }}</ref> The two hastily boarded a flight to Jerusalem, leaving behind their belongings. However, when the flight arrived in Israel, the two were detained and sent back to the U.S. Idris was later charged with lying to a federal grand jury investigating terrorism.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/03/26/us.v.idris/ |title=Criminal complaint in U.S. v. Mohammed Osman Idris |last=Wyman |first=John |date=March 26, 2002 |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=December 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131013853/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/03/26/us.v.idris/ |archive-date=January 31, 2010 }}</ref>
* [[Susan L. Douglass]], a former social studies teacher at the school, wrote social studies textbooks for the [[International Institute of Islamic Thought]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.islamicpluralism.org/564/georgetown-universitys-wahhabi-front |title=Georgetown University's Wahhabi Front |last=Poole |first=Patrick |date=February 22, 2008 |website=[[Center for Islamic Pluralism]] |publisher=[[FrontPage Magazine]] |access-date=December 20, 2020 |quote="During her tenure at the Islamic Saudi Academy, Douglass had a series of textbooks published by the International Institute of Islamic Thought"}}</ref>
* [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] Congresswoman [[Abigail Spanberger]] taught at the school between 2002 and 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vozzella |first=Laura |date=September 11, 2018 |title=Saudi school dominates TV ads in race for suburban Richmond congressional seat |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/saudi-school-dominates-tv-ads-in-race-for-suburban-richmond-congressional-seat/2018/09/11/1f8ad70a-b5d4-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=September 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304082807/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/saudi-school-dominates-tv-ads-in-race-for-suburban-richmond-congressional-seat/2018/09/11/1f8ad70a-b5d4-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html |archive-date=March 4, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
American schools in Saudi Arabia:
* [[American International School – Riyadh]]
* [[American International School of Jeddah]]
{{Portalbar|Saudi Arabia|Virginia|Schools}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.saudiacademy.net Official ISA website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.saudiacademy.net/html/HomePage-Arabi.html Official ISA Website] {{in lang|ar}} (Archive)
* [http://www.saudiacademy.net/html/Mission.html ISA Mission Statement]
* [https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40913F9345B0C728CDDA80994DD404482 "Trial Starts For Student In Plot to Kill President"], ''[[The New York Times]]''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060212092626/http://www.freemuslims.org/news/article.php?article=129 Baltimore Sun: Repost of cited article]
* Shea, Nina. "[http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/islamsadvance/2008/09/saudi_textbooks_teach_students.html Saudi Textbooks Teach Students to Hate]". ''[[The Washington Post]]''/''[[Newsweek]]'' (Saudi sponsorship of ISA and its textbooks)

{{International schools in the United States}}
{{High schools in Fairfax County, Virginia}}
{{Islamic schools in the United States}}
{{Saudi international schools}}
{{Saudi Arabia–United States relations}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1984 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:2016 disestablishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1984]]
[[Category:High schools in Fairfax County, Virginia]]
[[Category:International Baccalaureate schools in the United States]]
[[Category:Islamic schools in the United States]]
[[Category:Private K–12 schools in Virginia]]
[[Category:Religious schools in Virginia]]
[[Category:Saudi Arabian diaspora in the United States]]
[[Category:Saudi Arabia–United States relations]]
[[Category:Defunct Islamic organizations based in the United States]]