France has begun expelling Muslim girls for wearing head scarves to public schools in defiance of a new law banning conspicuous religious symbols.
The expulsion of at least five girls since Tuesday were the first since the law went into effect at the start of the academic year on September 2nd.
The expulsions were kept low-key because Iraqi captors holding two French journalists hostage had demanded the measure be abolished.
After disciplinary hearings, officials yesterday expelled two 17-year-olds from schools in the eastern city of Mulhouse and another girl from a school in Flers in Normandy in western France.
"They have just destroyed my life," said 12-year-old Khouloud after she and another girl were expelled on Tuesday from the Jean Mace middle school in Mulhouse.
"What they want is to see us in tight pants like all the girls," Khouloud was quoted as saying. Le Mondedid not give her last name. Another five girls could be expelled this week as the Education Ministry gave school districts the signal to start taking action against 72 students who could not be persuaded to obey the law.
Most are Muslim girls, but Sikh boys refusing to remove their turbans also risk being expelled.
The kidnapping in Iraq of journalists Christian Chesnot and Christian Malbrunot, who entered their third month in captivity yesterday, forced education authorities to tread softly.
The Islamic Army of Iraq , a group that claimed to be holding the journalists and their Syrian driver, has demanded the law be abolished, but the French government has refused.
AP