Sunday, October 25, 2009

Annapolis - we have a (lunch) problem



While Dr. Weast and his associates are traveling across the country courtesty of Mo Co taxpayers, students are still going without.

This past week, according to Leah Fabel of the Washington Examiner

Local school officials faced with growing populations of low-income students are petitioning Congress for more federal dollars to fund free and reduced-price school lunches.

. . .
"We need help," said Montgomery schools Superintendent Jerry Weast, speaking Tuesday to Gov. Martin O'Malley and asking him to mobilize Maryland's members of Congress on behalf of a favorable reauthorization.

As part of the act, the federal government reimburses school systems $2.68 for each free lunch provided to eligible students, and $2.28 for each reduced price lunch. Other provisions in the legislation provide money for breakfast, snacks, and summer lunches.

. . .
"For every free meal, we lose about 70 cents," said Montgomery County food and nutrition director Kathy Lazor. "We have to rely on a la carte sales and food sales through other activities to help recover those costs."

Thanks for the concern, Dr. W - but the taxpayers would like to see some leadership by example.  Why not cut the travel and food tab for the administrators, and start brown bagging your own healthy lunches?  Yes, money is tight, all around.   Federal money is still public money - so do your part.  Spend the money on the kids, remember, they are the customers of public education.

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