School apologizes over Muslim praying

GATINEAU, Quebec, May 8 (UPI) -- A private language school in Gatineau, Quebec, has apologized to a Muslim teacher who thought he had been fired for his prayer practices at work.

Last week, French instructor Mohamed Ismael stopped working after being told he couldn't pray in a classroom at the Ecole de langues de l'Estrie, which opened three weeks ago across the Ottawa River from Ottawa.

However, school founder Louise Charest said there had been a misunderstanding and Ismael returned to work Wednesday.

"Our rooms are occupied or under construction so he had to make a decision on what he would do," Charest said. "He was in a room that we were painting. That was the problem."

Ismael told the Ottawa Citizen he believes he'll be allowed to pray inside the school but wouldn't say anything more as he wants to keep his job.

Charest ruled out creating a separate prayer room for him.

"I cannot provide a room for him because if I did that, I would have to provide rooms for every other faith," she said.