Stossel: Exposing Students to Free Markets

It's school choice week. Many kids don't have choice in where they go to school. The school choice movement is trying to give them that opportunity.

Of course, having choice when it comes to what kids learn is important too.

Many schools teach kids that capitalism hurts people.

So John Stossel started a charity called Stossel in the Classroom. It offers teachers free videos that introduce kids to free market ideas. Students rarely hear about these ideas in school.

Graduates from Queens Technical High School in New York City who watched the videos while they were in high school explained that the videos were different from what they were used to.

"They really opened up my mind to think differently" said Xiomara Inga. Antonio Parada added the videos "changed the way that I viewed the world."

Gabriel Miller was so inspired by videos about the founding of America, he decided to enlist in the National Guard. He explains, "We are taught that this country is horrible." But after watching the videos, "I felt ashamed for what I initially believed…[so] I wanted to give back."

Diony Perez was inspired to open his own business, an auto leasing company called Familia Motor Group. "The Stossel videos helped me become more of an entrepreneur," Diony said.

Other students explained that certain videos like "The Unintended Consequences …" and "The Evil Rich" stuck with them. Johann Astudillo learned about unintended consequences from a video about minimum wage, "minimum wage increase priced out young people from getting jobs into the market."

Victoria Guerrero learned that most rich people get rich by providing some benefit to society. "If it wasn't for Steve Jobs … our life would not be as easy as it is today."

Stossel says he is glad his charity helps students understand free market ideas.

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The views expressed in this video are solely those of John Stossel; his independent production company, Stossel Productions; and the people he interviews. The claims and opinions set forth in the video and accompanying text are not necessarily those of Reason.