Woman arrested during OSDE meeting for willful disruption
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Audra Beasley was arrested Thursday during an Oklahoma State Department of Education board meeting for willful disruption.
She was one of ten chosen to speak at the end of the meeting where she told the board their building wasn't ADA compliant. She had her young son with her who is handicapped along with a couple of her other children.
At one point Beasley dropped her son's portable changing table on the board's table and told them they could have it. She said there isn't a universal changing table at many state buildings.
"Why are you such a bully," she asked of Superintendent Ryan Walters several times.
Eventually, she went over her allotted time and was told to leave by Superintendent Walters but didn't immediately and that's when Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers put her in handcuffs and walked her out.
She was then led to the patrol truck and taken to Oklahoma County Jail, according to OHP spokesperson Sarah Stewart.
She was booked on two counts: one for willfully disrupting state business/public meetings and the other for a person causing disruption willfully refusing to disperse or leave.
Her children were left alone outside the education building for over an hour until, KFOR was told, a family friend came to get them.
KFOR interviewed Beasley in 2022 for the exact issue she spoke at the meeting about.
It was then that Beasley, her son, Max, and State Representative Mickey Dollens attached a lock to a chain-link fence to symbolize people with disabilities not having equal access to public restrooms.
Beasley’s son, Max, was born with Spina Bifida. It’s a condition that will keep Max using protective undergarments for a long time.
In 2022 she was a part of a group of Oklahomans pushing to get universal changing tables in state restrooms, including at the State Capitol.
It was then, that the Capitol required a 24-hour notice if someone needed access to a universal changing table during a legislative session.
That’s only eight months a year.
Tori Garrett of the Oklahoma House of Representatives told KFOR Thursday that the universal changing table was recently moved into the family bathroom on the ground floor of the State Capitol. The bathroom is open 24 hours a day year-round to anyone.