School Choice

While Friedman wrote this article his article in 1997, "Public Schools: Make them Private" it remains heavily cited in other publications. Milton Friedman was one of the original advocates for school vouchers in the late 1900s, and after the advent of charter schools in 1991 he continued to promote school choice. In the 1997 publication Friedman further his support for school privatization when he claims school vouchers are the only method of promoting educational success in urban areas, where the worst schools continue to under-educate students. Yet, he has also received criticism for his inability to go further than his vague claim for universal success when he states he can't predict where a free-market education might lead the country. My final criticism of Friedman's article is in his support for local community control over schools. Yet, the charter schools, which continue to gain national support, have become a far cry from community organizations as national EMOs continue to proliferate the educational market.

Friedman's article can be found in Education Economics Dec 97, vol 5 issue 3, p 341, 4pages