holding that at the college level, unlike the high school level, an adult's constitutional right to wear his hair as he chooses supersedes the state’s right to intrude by imposing an "appearance code” on would-be junior college students
How later courts described this case
- holding that at the college level, unlike the high school level, an adult's constitutional right to wear his hair as he chooses supersedes the state’s right to intrude by imposing an "appearance code” on would-be junior college students
- adopting presumption that state’s interests in education and educational environment did not rationally justify hair-length regulation at junior college, although under Karr v. Schmidt, 460 F.2d 609 (5th Cir. 1972) (en banc), those interests presumptively could rationally justify dress and grooming regulations in high schools
- disapproving enforcement of a junior hair length case. The only thing about college's grooming code and stating, “the place where the line it that borders on the serious to me of permissible hairstyle regulation is drawn is between the is the idea that anyone should think high school door and the college gate”
- holding that at the college level such interests are not sufficient to warrant a similar intrusion on the liberty interests of college students
Written by the judges who cited it.
The opinion
GODBOLD, Circuit Judge,
with whom THORNBERRY, Circuit Judge, joins, specially concurring:
I concur in the result of this case and in the principle which it sets out that is applicable to hair style regulations at the college level, a principle different from that applying below the college level. In Karr v. Schmidt, 460 F.2d 609 (5th Cir. 1972) (en banc), I expressed my view regarding the correct governing principle for hair and dress code regulations below the college level. I continue to adhere to that view.