KFOR Wins Court Ruling for Meeting Access

A federal judge has granted KFOR a temporary restraining order against Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters and Press Secretary Dan Isett, allowing the station to attend State Board of Education meetings and press conferences. The order prohibits the officials from denying KFOR access and from physically obstructing their reporters. KFOR's lawsuit, which claims First Amendment violations, asserts that the station has been unjustly barred from these public events based on perceived biases against their reporting. Judge Bernard Jones emphasized the irreparable harm that denying access would cause, stating that public officials must accept media coverage they may not always favor. The ruling comes just ahead of the State Board of Education's meeting scheduled for September 26. KFOR's attorney argued that the state had discriminated against the station by selectively limiting press access, a claim that the court found compelling.