First Amendment Coalition

OUSD lead crisis: Internal records reveal panic and confusion among school leaders Emails and memos circulating last summer expose a total communication breakdown, with principals left in the dark.

McBride notes she is the only reporter dedicated to covering Oakland school. Rhoades, the City reporter, was a California Local News Fellow when she worked on the series. See the stories: oaklandside.org/2025/07/28/o...

Oaklandside’s Ashley McBride, Callie Rhoades receive First Amendment award The pair are being honored with a Free Speech and Open Government Award for their reporting on the lead crisis in Oakland public schools.

“Ashley broke the story of the lead contamination crisis, and then she and Callie just kept digging until they’d exposed all that went wrong at the district," says Esther Kaplan of @oaklandside.org about Ashley McBride and Callie Rhoades winning a FAC award
oaklandside.org/2026/03/03/o...

TONIGHT at 7:30 PM! There's still time to RSVP ⬇️

To Robert Earl Council, Melvin Ray, and Ricardo “Raoul” Poole of The Alabama Solution, a documentary that is the culmination of a six-year investigation of the corruption, neglect, and violence inside the Alabama State Prison system.

To @steelandballast.bsky.social, @jmitchellnews.bsky.social, Mukta Joshi, Nate Rosenfield, Najib Aminy and Steph Quinn of @mississippitoday.org in collaboration with @nytimes.com Local Investigations Fellowship and @revealnews.org for their investigations in one Mississippi county.

To Ashley McBride and Callie Rhoades of @oaklandside.org for their series that explored the lead contamination crisis at the Oakland Unified School District.

“The Alabama Solution,” The Oaklandside, and Mississippi Today/New York Times/Reveal Honored for Outstanding Contributions to Free Speech and Open Government The First Amendment Coalition announced the winners of its 2025 Free Speech and Open Government Awards.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 FAC Free Speech & Open Government Awards!
See more about the winning stories: firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/th...

Judge rejects DOJ request to search Washington Post reporter’s electronic devices The court “made the right call — and the constitutionally appropriate one — by taking it upon itself to review the material,” said RCFP’s Gabe Rottman.

Important piece by @rcfp.org on why a federal judge's ruling on the search of @WashingtonPost.com reporter @hannahnatanson.bsky.social's computer is a win for press freedom. www.rcfp.org/natanson-pos...

This #StudentPressFreedom Day, join us in celebrating student journalists and advocating for the protections they need to continue their work: studentpressfreedom.org

Student Press Freedom Day Join the Student Press Law Center and the student journalism community as we fight for press freedom!

Even as threats to press freedoms escalate, student journalists show what it means to be resilient: They pivot, push forward and raise their voices so they can report the stories that matter most.

Joe will share his firsthand experience covering the @icegov protests in Minnesota. See his reporting here: localnewsmatters.org/2026/02/03/o...

Fireside Meeting - March 2026 A discussion with Joe Dworetzky and David Snyder

JOIN US: FAC's David Snyder and investigative reporter Joe Dworetzky of @localnewsmatters.bsky.social will discuss press freedom, protest coverage, and the threats to journalists on Monday, 3/2 in Berkeley. RSVP www.eventbrite.com/e/fireside-m...

Former FAC Fellow, Annie Cappetta, discusses what she believes is the most urgent and underrated threat to First Amendment Rights.

If you're the press, a reporter, or the public with questions about your right to report on protests in public, contact our free legal hotline: bit.ly/FACLegalHotl...

First Amendment groups challenge Lakeside high school's yearbook quote elimination El Capitan High's decision to eliminate senior yearbook quotes has drawn legal scrutiny from several groups, including the First Amendment Coalition.

We hope the principal at El Capitan High School reverses course and rescinds the yearbook quote ban. Michael Chen of @abc10news.bsky.social has an update with comment from the yearbook editor www.10news.com/news/we-foll...

@facoalition.bsky.social sent a letter to Imperial County counsel: “Perhaps a federal agency or official would prefer that the County not disclose the requested records, but the Supremacy Clause demands compliance only with laws of the United States, not mere wishes.”

The Oaklandside wins prestigious award for advancing press freedom and government transparency Independent nonprofit newsroom The Oaklandside won a Freedom of Information award from SPJ NorCal for its accountability reporting.

Congrats to @oaklandside.org , winner of a @spj-norcal.bsky.social award for challenging Alameda County's sideshow observer law. “We cannot do our jobs when we’re not allowed to tell the public what’s happening in their city," says @tasneemraja.bsky.social oaklandside.org/2026/02/18/o...

Students petition to restore senior quotes tradition at El Capitan High in Lakeside El Capitan High School students launch petition with 1,400+ signatures after principal cancels senior quotes tradition, citing concerns over modern slang.

Students have petitioned to restore the quotes. See the original story about the yearbook quote ban: www.10news.com/news/local-n...

FAC Urges High School to Reinstate High School Yearbook Senior Quotes Advocacy

The principal of El Capital High School banned senior quotes from the high school yearbook, saying parsing the "modern slang" of the quotes would be too difficult to vet. FAC and @splc.org note the ban violates state law, urges the principal to rescind it. firstamendmentcoalition.org/2026/02/18/f...

‘Know your rights,’ but also ‘know your risks’: Experts weigh in on safety for ICE observers Civil liberties advocates have shared guidance on exercising the right to protest and record law enforcement activity.

You have the right to record law enforcement. FAC Legal Director @davidloy.bsky.social tells @sandiegouniontribune.com: “The right to record is fundamental to holding government accountable. People can’t protest or even evaluate what they can’t see.” www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/02/15/k...

Do you love transparency as much as we do? 🥰

FAC has brought two lawsuits to vindicate the press and public's right to police records. Read why these cases are critical in the fight for police transparency. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/de...

TODAY 12PM PT: last call to join our 30-min intro to our newest Reporter's Field Guide: Data Sources in California. We’ll introduce you to the guide, share some story ideas and answer your questions. RSVP now: firstamendmentcoalition-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Behind the Headlines: How reporter Robert J. Lopez fought for public records on child farmworkers in California How one investigative journalist exposed the state’s failure to protect child farmer workers.

Investigative reporter Robert J. Lopez spoke to FAC about the reporting behind his ambitious series on child farmworkers for our Behind the Headlines series. Check it out!
firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/be...

FAC Sues City of El Monte for Withholding Police Records Many police officers work side jobs. The public has the right to know what they’re doing off-hours.

When investigative journalist Albert Serna sought public records about secondary, off-duty employment by El Monte police officers, he was was stonewalled. Other department released the info. What is the El Monte Police Department hiding? firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/fa...

'Journalism is not a crime:' Local free speech expert on arrest of journalists Independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested weeks after covering an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota. They were released Friday. We dig into what this means for press freedom and…

The arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort last week was outrageous. "The First Amendment protects, above all else , the right to report the news and criticize the government," @davidloy.bsky.social tells Jade Hindmon of @kpbssandiego.bsky.social. ⬇️ www.kpbs.org/podcasts/kpb...

Reporters: are you looking for an easy-to-use guide to publicly available data for journalists in California? Check out our new reporter’s field guide! firstamendmentcoalition.org/handbook/rep...

The First Amendment guarantees the right of the press or public to observe, document, record and report on events that take place in public. FAC Legal Director @davidloy.bsky.social explains: firstamendmentcoalition.org/videos/repor...

NABJ OUTRAGED AT ARRESTS OF DON LEMON, GEORGIA FORT ‘THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS NOT OPTIONAL’ The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is outraged and deeply alarmed by the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort by federal agents, and […]

Attacks like this by the federal government will never silence a free press. FAC joins the National Association of Black Journalists' condemnation of the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort. #JournalismIsNotACrime nabjonline.org/blog/nabjout...

⏰️ LAST DAY TO SUBMIT A FAC AWARD NOMINATION! ⏰️ Submissions are due at 11:59 PM PT tonight. Submit your nomination here: firstamendmentcoalition.org/2025-fac-awa...

📢 Attention Reporters! Our new Reporter’s Field Guide: Data Sources in California will point you to publicly available data on criminal justice, education, government finances, health, the environment and more. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/in...