Oklahoma Education Board Conflicted on Executive Sessions

The Oklahoma State Board of Education refrained from filing a lawsuit regarding the Attorney General Gentner Drummond's recent opinion that allows lawmakers to attend executive sessions, despite expressing confusion over the implications of this ruling. Drummond's opinion, which overrides a 1978 ruling, clarifies that lawmakers can attend such sessions if their committee oversees the agency involved, a position that some board members find concerning. Board counsel Cara Nicklas highlighted the potential impact on the board's ability to hold closed sessions, emphasizing that the legal landscape has changed significantly. The board's recent meeting, which was held without an executive session for the first time in a long while, saw attendance from several legislators who had been previously denied access. Drummond asserted that this provision has been effective for over 45 years without issue in other state entities, urging compliance with the law. As discussions continue, board members remain wary of the ramifications of the new legal interpretation on their operations.