Federal Court Sides with KFOR, Issues Restraining Order Against Ryan Walters and Spokesman

Protecting press access in Oklahoma

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Freedom of the press?

On Wednesday, September 25, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that stops Oklahoma education officials from blocking reporters from KFOR, a news station, from attending important state meetings.

This order will last for two weeks.

Why were these reporters kept out of public meetings?

The issue started because state school Superintendent Ryan Walters and his spokesperson, Dan Isett, have been keeping KFOR reporters out of the room during meetings, even physically stopping them at times.

In February, 2024, Walters called a meeting of reporters apparently for the purpose of calling them out as liars:

"I believe that these efforts from the press of lying to Oklahomans, lying to their viewers, lying to their readers, (is) a disservice to Oklahoma."

KFOR had asked the court to make sure their reporters could attend an upcoming meeting.

What was the Judge's ruling?

Judge Bernard Jones explained that newsgathering is very important for free speech.

He said it helps people stay informed, form opinions, and hold leaders accountable. He also said the government shouldn't be the one to decide which news is true or false, as that could stop journalists from investigating and reporting on important topics.

The judge was confused about why this issue even had to be argued in court.

KFOR sued because they believe state officials are unfairly picking which news outlets can attend public events, and they want to make sure this doesn’t happen again. For now, KFOR reporters can attend the meetings, and the court will decide later if this rule should stay in place longer.

What do you think about the issue?

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Other questions to ask about this issue:

• Why were KFOR reporters being blocked from attending the meetings?
• How does restricting media access affect public trust in government decisions?
• Why is it important for all news outlets to have equal access to public events?
• What does this restraining order mean for other media outlets in Oklahoma?
• How can the government decide which news is true or false without limiting free speech?