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Manara Academy gets council approval to open in Coppelll News for. Dallas, Texas I Dall... Page 1 of 3
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Manara Academy gets council approval to open in Coppell
12:03 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 17,2009
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
kunm uth@dallasnews.com
The Manara Academy charter school will be able to open in Coppell in August after a rezoning request
was unanimously approved by the City Council on Tuesday.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN
Coppell Mayor Pro Tern Karen Hunt
shakes hands with Sadak Shaik, lower
right, vice-president of the board of
directors of the Manara Academy after
the Coppell City Council approved the
school's request for a zoning change.
View larger Photography Photo store
School officials plan to open the academy, which is backed by leaders of the Islamic Center of Irving, at
the former Christ Our Savior Lutheran church school along Heartz Road.
Met with heavy neighborhood opposition, charter school organizers had faced a lengthy and tense
rezoning process that included having their previous request denied by the city's planning and zoning
commISSIOn.
After the decision was announced, charter school board vice president Sadak Shaik and other officials
cheered and high-fived each other and shook hands with council members.
"We're really excited about this," he said, his eyes gleaming. "We appreciate the city ofCoppell."
A super-majority had been required since the planning and zoning commission had previously denied
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the request.
Mayor Jayne Peters opposed the opening of the academy but does not have a vote on the council.
Neighbors have said that the school would cause traffic and safety issues, but city staff have consistently
recommended approval of the special use permit.
"I do have grave concerns about the traffic management plan," Peters said. "I have angst about the
traffic situation. .. I have serious concerns about the safety elements that citizens have decided to bring
up."
She said she wished she could have voted. Several people who opposed the school, shook their heads in
disappointment after learning about the 7-0 vote and muttered "unbelievable."
The meeting drew an overflow crowd at the Coppell Town Center where police officers kept watch. At
the beginning of the meeting, a Christian prayer was recited.
"Father, we thank you for your goodness and your grace," they intoned.
The school, approved by the Texas Education Agency, plans to offer Arabic and French classes, and
also teach in a style known as "expeditionary learning," a hands-on approach. It is modeled on an award-
winning scho~l in Alpharetta, Ga. known as the Amana Academy.
During struggle to establish the school in Coppell, some people questioned why the academy did not
choose to open in Irving where many of the students are from and where Mayor Herbert Gears has said
it would be welcome. .
In their TEA application, school leaders mentioned that the low performance of the Irving ISD prompted
their quest to create the charter school.
Several people's voices wavered with emotion as they presented their views. Those who opposed the
school showed maps of the property, which is squeezed tightly within a residential neighborhood.
Dell Morgan said he was concerned about most of the 326 students coming from outside the city.
"This will impact our quality of life," he said. "It will impact our safety. There will be greatly increased
traffic with no benefit to the city of Coppell."
The debate also caused some people to wonder if Coppell was unwelcoming to Muslims and poorer
people from other cities.
Mohamed Elmougy, an Egyptian immigrant who lives in Coppell with his German-born wife and three
children, brought his youngsters so they could witness the political process. Though he does not plan to
send his children to the school, he begged the council to approve its opening.
"Your role is to take the emotions out of this and stay factual," he told the council. "I don't want
Coppell to become unwelcome to anybody that might look different or speak differently."
His son Tarek, 16, who attends Coppell High found the meeting interesting. "I just think a lot of
arguments opposed to the school were irrational and repetitive and they contradicted what the experts
said," he said.
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Manara Academy gets council approval to open in Coppelll News for Dallas, Texas I Dall... Page 3 of 3
Council member Marvin Franklin said he had weighed all the concerns. "I just hope people are
welcoming," he said. "While there are traffic risks, there's also an opportunity to add value to the
community"
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