'Senior Day' Moved To Metro Church Due To Walkout At Capitol

<p>The crowds at the Capitol are keeping some people from meeting with lawmakers about their concerns.&nbsp;</p>

Monday, April 9th 2018, 9:59 pm



The crowds at the Capitol are keeping some people from meeting with lawmakers about their concerns. 

Monday was supposed to be Senior Day at the Capitol. But the thousands of teachers and supporters crowded the seniors out, forcing them to move to another location.

One by one, seniors de-boarded busses at Saint Luke’s Church. They had reserved the second floor rotunda of the Capitol to meet with lawmakers to discuss legislation that affects older Oklahomans, but the walkout put the kibosh on that.

“Given the situation at the capitol with the teachers we really worried about the safety and welfare of these seniors,” said Mary Brinkley of Leading Age Oklahoma.

Brinkley said she reached out to the Oklahoma Education Association and asked, “Could you go to the Capitol at noon or after and let us have our day in the morning? But they said they couldn’t accommodate us.”

So, lawmakers came to Saint Luke’s to meet with seniors.

“Well, it’s been on the calendar for them to come to the Capitol and meet with us and our senior citizens are important to us,” said Representative Chris Kannady (R) Oklahoma City.

Representative Tim Downey (R) Blanchard said, “I think you gotta [sic] make every effort you can especially for our senior citizens when they’re inconvenienced and unable to get to you, you can make every effort to get to them.”

Brinkley said she understands educators have needs. But she says so do seniors.

“I’ve always said you can’t you can’t give some of the buffet and let other people starve. We as a state have to have balance,” said Brinkley.

A spokesman for OEA said they can’t keep 30,000 people from coming to the Capitol. And while they knew the seniors had reserved the second floor rotunda, the spokesman said when the seniors didn’t show up, the teachers and their supporters took the space.

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