Gary Christmas, a Minor, by His Father and Next Friend, William R. Christmas v. The El Reno Board of Education, Independent School District No. 34

By his complaint plaintiff-appellant Christmas attacked the constitutionality of a school regulation pertaining to the length of a student’s hair. The district court denied declaratory and injunctive relief, 313 F.Supp. 618. The facts differ from Freeman v. Flake and other hair cases decided this day in that the student was not suspended but was refused the right to attend commencement exercises and to receive a diploma. Instead he was given a certificate of graduation and accompanying transcript which are the only officially recognized documents or records evidencing graduation.

The judgment…