A school in the French city of Mulhouse has expelled two girls for wearing Muslim headscarves in the first such case since a controversial ban on religious symbols was imposed in state schools in September. The two pupils aged 12 and 13 had refused to remove their headscarves since school resumed in September despite repeated meetings teachers held with them and their parents. France has imposed the ban to reassert the neutrality of its state schools and counter what teachers said was rising Islamist radicalism reflected in the wearing of headscarves, denial of the Holocaust and attacks on Jewish schoolmates. The law barred what it called conspicuous signs of faith such as the headscarves, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses but left some leeway, such as for discreet jewelry, because a complete ban would have violated European human rights laws. French Education Minister Francois Fillon said about 70 girls around France risked expulsion by refusing to bare their heads despite warnings from school officials.