John Stossel discusses the problems of public schooling with guests Sherry Street (Milwaukee school voucher advocate) and Joel Klein (former chancellor of NYC schools).
However, they are just talking about one negative repercussion of an education monopoly. Another and even more severe impact is captured in one of Friedman’s great quotations:
As we all know our public education system is a socialist enterprise. Any institution will tend to express its own values and its own idea. The socialist institutions will teach socialism. It is going to teach socialist values. It is not going to teach the principles of free enterprise.
Unfortunately odds of large-scale improvements in Germany are very long. A recent survey of some 480,000 people came up with shocking results:
- On average people graded the German education system a poor 3.7 (1=best, 6=worst).
- 72 percent would accept higher taxes for improving education.
- 87 percent think schools ought to be “costless”.
- 92 percent ask for unification of curriculum.
Myself, I only support the first statement and strongly oppose the other three.
Swiss Economist 
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