Budget Cut Axe Falls On Thunderbird Youth Academy

This is a crying shame. When the programs that are needed so much are cut for the programs who don't really need the money . I think an outrage is in order and those involved in cutting this program should be removed from office. Budget or not our goverment needs to keep programs for our youth and our future and make the cuts in other non essential programs. Everyone talks about our children and the future of our country if only one child can be helped then fund those programs.

my grandson went through the voluntary part of thunderbird.he is now very succesful in the air force.it seems it would be more cost effective to spend money to keep these kids out of trouble than to later have to put them thrugh court systems.always enouth money for some b.s. system but never enouth for a good program like this

My brother went to Thunderbird he was in one of the first classes. My son who got tired of all the gangs and games at Tulsa public schools asked to go to Thunderbird. Although the 22 week program is hard it teaches the students how to deal with the troubles that life is going to throw at you. Where did the funding get dieverted to? when did "our" children become last on the list?

I guess we can just wait and spend $20,000 a year to house them in prison when they're grown. I work with children who have been through this program and have been impressed with the work they do. I am sad to see it end.

What i can't seem to unserstand is how in the world are they going to take somthing away that these kids really need??? See tulsa ok, doesn't no how to spend money. They are taking so much from these kids that's why there's gang's,drug's and God knows what else they are getting into. Spend the money something we need and not on something they want such as more lazy @#$$! police officers who pull you over because your back light is out and at the same time some is getting shot!! Tulsa really need to get it together before all hell breaks out!! Think about it Real Talk!!!!

Where is Obama's stimulas money for schools??? This is plain wrong to let this much needed program go away!

what other option are they proposing then. and what about the lottery money. couldn't some of that be put toward this program. i was in the guard 10 years ago with a a young man who went to the regimented program, he is now a college grad and an officer. bad choice in my opinion.

They will close a program like this but they will give money to a woman to study grandparents in Alaska. Just like they want a high speed rail between Tulsa and OKC but we have bridges falling down all over the state.

Ugh this is crazy.....we can't afford to help troubled teens but lets give some 3 million to study grandparents in Alaska????? Priorties people, come on. And now it only affects the court appointed aspect of the program? Yeah why help troubled teens have a chance at a better life. I sure hope that these teens get to go somewhere else otherwise our prisons are going to be even more overcrowded then they already are.

My son graduated the volunteer program on June 20 of this year. I believe priorities are not juggled correctly on state funding. This place is a god send. He did better at TYA than in regular school and came out a man at 17. We just enrolled him in OSU-IT. He is so excited. This is one of the most creative places that I have ever seen. These children aren't on vacation here. They all ready have the bare minimum. Why don't you people just shoot them in the foot. Take that stimulus money and put it up a few Alaskan grandparents studies butt.

Thank your friend, the "Gun Salesman of the Year" Obama for not providing stimulus funds for a worthy program like Bravo company at Thunderbird Academy - he must need these troubled youths for his war in Afghanistan & Iraq - Just like it was in the 'Nam era - if you get in trouble with the law the local courts would sentence you to 20 years in the pen or join the Marines for 4 and your record would be expunged.... seems like old times in the corps...

noodles wrote:

Where is Obama's stimulas money for schools??? This is plain wrong to let this much needed program go away!

It is going to study grandparents in Alaska. The 1.3 million grant to an OSU professor to study the effects of grandparents would have paid for this. I guess at Thunderbird should have renamed the school ACORN SCHOOL.

From Dreams of My Father:'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'

From Dreams of My Father :'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race...'

From Dreams of My Father:'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'

From Dreams of My Father:'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

From Dreams of My Father:'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself: the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'

And FINALLY,
From Audacity of Hope:'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'

Barrack H. Obama

This about the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. A program that works where our troubled youth get a chance to be rehabilitated is being canceled because there isn't enough money. My b-u-t-t. There is money somewhere and it needs to be found because these kids need it. I'll drive on bumpy roads if that's what it takes. I'll accept less money being paid to coaches at OU and OSU. We're talking about lives of human beings here. How about taking some of the money out of the rainy day fund? Reminds me of the day when they closed Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore back in the early 70s.

This is a great shame to lose a program like this, this is a great program for troubled teens, this program takes these kids off the streets and lets them see a different kind of life and teaches them that they can do good things and make something of theirselves. Some of these kids dont have a very good home life, so therefore alot of times they look up to the seargents and counslors as father or mother figures. This was my first nursing job and will always have a special place in my heart.

A couple of boys that I to high school with had to go there. I honestly thought those kids were lost causes. They were aweful. The last time I saw them I could not believe the difference! They were totally transformed and happy. This program works and I hope someone can find a way to fix this.

Hominy Ok
The Budget cuts could be made somewhere else, Brovo Co is needed so badly, it has kept teens out of prisons , having a grandson in Brovo Co has made a great difference , he has had a complete turn around,his grades have come up to a B, he had no interst in school when he came to Thunder Bird, he was headed to prison, he now has a different out look on his life , he has gained so much from all the staff at Thunder Bird, surely these Buget cuts can be made some where else. Broken hearted in Hominy Ok

Le Jimbo wrote:

From Dreams of My Father:'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'
From Dreams of My Father :'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race...'
From Dreams of My Father:'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'
From Dreams of My Father:'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'
From Dreams of My Father:'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself: the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'
And FINALLY,
From Audacity of Hope:'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'
Barrack H. Obama

And Finally, Finally, show us your Damn Birth Certificate!!!!!!!!!!

I've seen first hand how great these kids are. They often bring them out to pick up trash and help at events around the area. They would come and ask if I needed trash taken out or help with moving supplies. I had a chance to get to hear several of their stories when I was doing those events and to hear from them how it changed their life was wonderful. All either planned to go to collage or the military.Loosing this program will hurt Oklahoma too much. Something needs to be done to stop it from happening.

Of course the state will cut this, it actually works. Did they use this money to create the mayor a new job?