Thursday, April 01, 2010
School Choice Advocate
Special Edition: Rose D. Friedman (1910-2009)
On August 18, 2009, Rose D. Friedman passed away and once again joined together with her lifelong partner of 68 years, Milton Friedman. To say she will be missed by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice is an understatement at best. As the co-founder of our organization in 1996, and most recently as co-chair of our board of directors, Rose Friedman has played a very large and significant role in the school choice movement these last 13 years.
I hate to admit it but, I really didn't know much about Rose and Milton Friedman 13 years ago. They certainly didn't mention them in my English and History classes at the liberal arts university I attended. Nor did I hear much about them in my six years in England, either in my numerous liberation theology classes or in my time as a voluntary-sector social worker dealing with homeless men in the center of London.
When I returned to America it would be safe to say that I knew next to nothing about the Friedman philosophy. In fact, in my interview, I remember passionately arguing against the Friedman position and for continued government intervention in K-12 education. Without government, I argued, who would ensure that schools are run properly or that children learn what they need to learn. Luckily, Gordon St. Angelo, our founding President and CEO, convinced the Friedmans to take a chance on me. As you can imagine, once you are exposed to the Friedmans and their philosophy there is no going back. I am no exception.
Over the years, Milton and Rose were often asked what K-12 education would look like under a competitive market system. Their answer was, as always, clear and straightforward – no one can know or predict the marketplace. The same could be said of school choice in the last 13 years. No one could have predicted how the issue would grow or the path it would take. And few would have predicted the successes or challenges or foreseen the ups and downs. How many would have imagined, for example, the rapid growth in scholarship tax credit and special needs voucher programs?
Thankfully, looking back is easier. In 13 years, the Friedman vision of school choice has gone from a controversial, fringe issue with little public awareness to an issue with widespread public support, as evidenced by the 12 polls conducted by the Foundation over the last 19 months. School choice has gone from an issue with almost no legislative support outside the conservative wing of the Republican Party to an issue with a broader and more diverse set of legislative supporters. It has gone from being introduced in just a few states each year to being introduced in almost every state every year.
Most importantly, the number of school choice programs has grown from five in 1996 to 24 in 2009. The number of states that have enacted school choice has grown from five in 1996 to 15 plus Washington, D.C. in 2009. The number of children receiving vouchers or tax credit scholarships has grown from less than 10,000 to almost 200,000. And the number of families claiming personal tax credits for approved educational expenses, including private school tuition, has grown to over 500,000.
There have, of course, been many challenges. How do we crack the suburban support nut? How do we break free of the internal and infernal universal vs. low-income voucher debate? How do we broaden support among policy elites who favor charter schools and standards over school choice? Or as Milton and Rose often asked, how do we increase the pace of reform and get bigger school choice programs?
When Rose and Milton were still alive they described themselves as two lucky people. I think all of us are lucky they were around for so long.
I know that I feel lucky—and blessed—to have shared a little part of the last 13 years with them. I am more than a little honored to carry forward their mission of increasing the quality of K-12 education by ensuring that every child in America is free to choose.
This, at the very least, should be our tribute to Rose and Milton.
