Khan v. Fort Bend Independent School District

Khurrum Khan (plaintiff) was the valedictorian of his high school class. As punishment for misconduct, Khan’s school district (defendant) informed Khan that he was not allowed to participate in his graduation ceremony or deliver the valedictorian speech. Khan had hacked into the school computer system to change grades and had been indicted by a county grand jury for stealing school computers. As a result, Khan had been transferred to a local alternative school. There, Khan was cited for poor conduct due to six consecutive unexcused absences. In response, the school district denied Khan the right to attend graduation or give the valedictorian address, though Khan would still receive his diploma and the status of being his class valedictorian. The district notified Khan and his parents of its punishment. The school met with Khan twice and attempted to meet with Khan and his parents additional times to discuss the punishment. Khan did not attend the later meetings, although his parents attended. Khan filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in federal district court to prevent the district from prohibiting his participation in the graduation ceremonies. Khan argued the school district’s proposed punishment would unconstitutionally deprive him of his property right to participate in his high school graduation ceremony without affording him due process of law. The district argued that Khan had no protected property interest in attending his high school graduation ceremony.