The Table of Consultation for Islamic Organizations in Quebec (La Table de concertation des organismes musulmans - TCOM) expressed its "surprise" and shock at the directives from the Quebec government banning prayer spaces in elementary and secondary schools.

The organization indicated that it is currently studying its legal options to cancel the decision.

In a directive issued the day before yesterday, Wednesday, the Quebec Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, prohibited school boards from converting classrooms into prayer spaces.

In the letter specially signed by the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center, the Capital Mosque, the Muslim Students Association at Laval University, and the Association of Muslim Women and Men in the Greater Lévis area, the signatories expressed their "outrage at the decision of the Minister of Education, Mr. Bernard Drainville [...]"

The Table of Consultation also criticized the issuance of this directive in the middle of Ramadan, which extends from March 23 to April 23 of this year.

The president of the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center, Mohamed Al-Obaidi, who signed the letter, said, "It [the directive] creates a lot of excitement in our community."

They also criticized the Quebec government for making this decision without consulting the organizations representing the Muslim community.

The Table of Consultation is considering the possibility of resorting to the courts in an attempt to cancel this decision issued by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government.

For his part, Mohamed Al-Obaidi explained that he "is in contact with Muslim leaders in Montreal," saying: "Everyone agrees with the idea of resorting to the judiciary and that our rights have been violated. Lawyers advised us the same thing, but no decision has been made yet."

The office of the Minister of Education and Higher Education refused to comment on the letter on Friday.