Judge Denies Request to Relocate Laguna Beach High School Graduation Ceremony

The following is a press release from the Laguna Beach Unified School District and does not reflect editorial work done by Spotlight Schools. Submit a press release to Spotlight Schools by emailing hello@spotlightschools.com.

A federal judge has denied an application seeking to relocate Laguna Beach High School's June 11 graduation ceremony from the Irvine Bowl to Guyer Field, allowing the event to proceed as planned at the Irvine Bowl.

In an order issued June 5, U.S. District Judge Fred W. Slaughter denied the request for a temporary restraining order, finding that the plaintiffs did not make a sufficient showing that they were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims, would suffer irreparable harm in the absence of the requested relief, or that the balance of equities weighed in their favor. The court also found that the requested relief—a relocation of the entire graduation ceremony less than a week before the event—appeared broader than necessary to address the concerns raised by the plaintiffs.

The district remains committed to ensuring that all students, families, and guests can participate in the graduation ceremony. Prior to the event, the district distributed a survey to graduating families to identify accessibility needs and seating accommodations, and incorporated those requests into planning for the ceremony. Laguna Beach High School received 265 survey responses, including 83 requests for accommodations, which the district considered in developing seating assignments for the Irvine Bowl.

The District encourages any guest requiring accommodations or assistance to contact Laguna Beach High School as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements, if they have not already done so.

Laguna Beach Unified School District looks forward to celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 with students, families, and community members on June 11.