Prince George’s County School Board Member K. Alexander Wallace last week put forth a plan to make school lunches free for all students during the federal government shutdown. The partial federal government shutdown, which began at midnight on Saturday, December 22, 2018, hits Prince George’s County particularly hard, as it is home to several federal offices, including the Food and Drug Administration, National Archives, Goddard Space Flight Center, the Census Bureau and National Archives.

Wallace outlined his proposal in a letter to interim schools CEO Monica Goldson.

From the letter:

My heart and mind is not on the political battles being waged in Washington, but instead the impacted families in Prince George’s County.

…

As the child of former federal government employees who lived through many shutdowns, I know the strains placed on families and their budgets. The last thing our students need to worry about is how they will pay for breakfast and lunch.

…

My long-term goal is to propose a Board Policy to charge the PGCPS Administration to set up protocols in cases like this one – long term governmental shutdowns.

The proposal would have to be approved by Goldson, and subject to the School Board’s budget.

Read the full letter for more information.