Happy Birthday, Milton Friedman!
Today, Milton Friedman, the Jewish Nobel Prize-winning economist and school choice advocate, would have celebrated his 101st birthday. In what may be considered a birthday present, July 31st was also the deadline to apply for Ohio’s new voucher program for low-income students. Thanks to Friedman’s idea and the Ohio legislature’s support, dozens of Cleveland students will receive an EdChoice scholarship this month to attend a Jewish kindergarten of their choice.
But would Dr. Friedman be celebrating if he was still alive? If success is measured by the number of voucher programs, Milton Friedman would be proud. Ohio now has five. Friedman, however, advocated for universal vouchers, and Ohio’s programs are limited by zip code, disability, and now, income. The programs are also capped so that only about 5% of Ohio students can ever receive a voucher.
Despite the limitations, Friedman would surely be encouraged by Ohio’s progress. Once the newest EdChoice expansion is fully implemented, more than half of Ohio’s student population will be eligible for a scholarship. It was the availability of choice rather than the actual number of students using vouchers which interested Friedman. Choice itself, he argued, would empower parents, foster competition and drive up the quality of education.
Milton Friedman may not be alive, but today, thousands of Ohio students are living his dream.
Rabbi A. D. Motzen
National Director of State Relations
Agudath Israel of America
For more information about school voucher programs in Ohio contact Agudath Israel’s Ohio office at 513-530-1364.
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