Hey, who says the French can't be tough?

France confronts a surge in racism - World - www.smh.com.au: "A school in the eastern French city of Mulhouse expelled two girls for wearing Muslim headscarves on Tuesday in the first such case since Paris imposed a controversial ban on religious symbols in state schools last month.

The pupils, aged 12 and 13, had refused to remove their headscarves despite repeated meetings teachers held with them and their parents, the school principal said."

Jokes aside, it probably was in fact somewhat tricky politically. It's good that they're following through on this, although it's difficult for me to believe that this was the first violation. I find the law itself objectionable because people shouldn't have their clothing choices dictated to them by their government. I suppose one could argue that the law is similar to school codes that ban risque clothing and things relating to beer, tobacco, etc., but the difference is that exhibiting one's faith is an act of speech of a higher order, with more meaning, than one advertising Budweiser. Disclaimer:The preceding is not a complete summary of what I think about free speech.