My blogging friend Baloney is miffed and I’m pissed and getting quite grumpy. The problem you see is that Tulsa Parks is considering dropping the DDA Day Camp for Special Needs Kids this summer. Last year was SuperPizzaBoy’s first year in the camp and he had a lot of fun. The kids went swimming, bowling, and all sorts of other things.

The city provided trained people to make sure that all the kids participated and were safe.

The link to the Tulsa World article on the matter is here.

I don’t blame the Tulsa Parks people at all. SPB and I have met some of those folks through our geocaching hobby and they all have a heart for what they do and generally go above and beyond the call of duty. They are very hard working people.

The City is using doublespeak to describe the situation. “… the primary reason for discontinuing the camp was to include special needs children in other programs.” Excuse me folks, any children present? That is a bunch of bullcorn!! I’m sorry. I find it a very cynical use of language to justify the action. I resent it a lot.

According to the City spokesman, this is the only summer day camp that has been cut from the schedule. They do however “hope” that the kids will be able to participate in the other camps this summer. Gee, I hope so also.

Now we are taxpayers and we know that city tax receipts are down and everybody has to tighten their belt but why is the DDA camp the only camp cut? And the only alternative is “hope.”

We have a little disconnect here. Many special needs kids cannot be left to their own devices. Either they stay internal and don’t participate, or they drift off from the group, or they get frustrated and mad and act out towards the staff or fellow kids, or they get picked on, bullied, and attacked by the other kids. Many parents, have tried just dropping their kids off at some program and hope for the best. This doesn’t work too well generally for anybody involved.

For example, I have seen our son, SPB, punched in the gut and hit in the face by other children at our son’s Sunday School class here in Tulsa. That is one reason Sweetie and I taught in our son’s class. So we can keep an eye on him. The church stepped up and provided adult “Buddy’s” for special needs children to the benefit of all concerned.

Anyways if you live in Tulsa and would like to help please call the Mayor’s Action Line at 596-2100. I talked to them a little bit ago and they do a very good job of registering your comments and are very pleasant, professional, and courteous.

Also contact your City Councilor. They have email. They will answer your emails, if your courteous. You can find who your councilor is and their email addresses here.