Alex Freidus
@alexfreidus.bsky.social
schools, race, & inequality | author of "Unequal Lessons: School Diversity and Educational Inequality in New York City" | momming & cooking & running & reading romance & mystery | she/her | personal account
www.alexandrafreidus.com
www.alexandrafreidus.com
Pinned
Alex Freidus
@alexfreidus.bsky.social
· May 28
![Screenshot of Publishers Weekly review of Unequal Lessons reading: "Classroom diversity, specifically the integration of more white students into predominantly Black schools, does not lead to better outcomes for Black students, according to this disquieting debut study. Education scholar Freidus focuses on New York schools that, due to gentrification, are experiencing an influx of white students. Drawing on interviews and her own immersive ethnographic observations conducted over nearly six years, she finds that diversity and integration—especially via an increase in the proportion of white students—are treated by teachers, administrators, and parents as a de facto solution for racial inequality, and yet this is emphatically not the end result. Instead, Freidus observes that Black students’ experience of diversity entails a “hidden curriculum” that “reinforces deeply rooted [racial and class] assumptions about [them] and their families.” For instance, she notes several instances in which Black and white students with similar behavioral problems received disproportionate treatment, resulting partly from educators’ assumptions that the white student was more likely to be from a good family. At the same time, diversity does offer benefits for students—mostly in terms of enrichment, or new experiences—but as Freidus persuasively demonstrates, solving inequality is not one of them. This urgent wake-up call is a must-read for educators. (Aug.)"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7js3r4xdyhiics6bsegplyvq/bafkreih2z6ytyvi2sqof2vbgwfu4sqf2hy6gsrpwzsv52gv5kpqzyd64ci@jpeg)
Y'all, I'm pretty excited that @publisherswkly.bsky.social called my book "an urgent wake-up call" and "a must-read for educators!"
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
Reposted by Alex Freidus
My book on this urgent topic IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH will be out 2/10/26— PREORDER if you want to really dive into the stories, the reasons why we do things this way & what we have to do within ourselves & for each other to change things. www.harpercollins.com/products/in-...
November 25, 2025 at 11:11 PM
My book on this urgent topic IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH will be out 2/10/26— PREORDER if you want to really dive into the stories, the reasons why we do things this way & what we have to do within ourselves & for each other to change things. www.harpercollins.com/products/in-...
Thank you! I think it's possible to argue "schools aren't set up to serve kids well" while recognizing that this is not only a recent phenomenon.
I can't help but wonder what the "today's-children-are-more-stressed-than-ever" crowd would say to this one from the NE Primer (1778 ed.):
November 24, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Thank you! I think it's possible to argue "schools aren't set up to serve kids well" while recognizing that this is not only a recent phenomenon.
Took over hosting last year with zero regrets - primarily because I decided that I just was NOT going to discuss planning questions with anyone unless I actually wanted to hear their thoughts on the matter.
Actually in the spirit of this conversation, what’s a decision you made about a past Thanksgiving holiday that really paid off? I think people often feel trapped by their lives. Sharing our experiences can liberate us from that sense of claustrophobia.
On the most recent episode of VIBE CHECK, we answer listener questions about Thanksgiving, most importantly “do you go celebrate with the family members you don’t even like?”
November 23, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Took over hosting last year with zero regrets - primarily because I decided that I just was NOT going to discuss planning questions with anyone unless I actually wanted to hear their thoughts on the matter.
When I was in tenth grade in 1992, my English teacher would tell the class, "Your essay should be like a girl's skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to be interesting."
This was not even notable, given the norms, but boys loved to ask with each new assignment.
This was not even notable, given the norms, but boys loved to ask with each new assignment.
In honor of Larry Summers, I asked the female members of my college class (1987) to say if they had any experiences with sexual harassment by teachers/professors, back when this was tolerated as, I dunno, the cost of attending college, and OH MY GOD.
November 22, 2025 at 5:55 PM
When I was in tenth grade in 1992, my English teacher would tell the class, "Your essay should be like a girl's skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to be interesting."
This was not even notable, given the norms, but boys loved to ask with each new assignment.
This was not even notable, given the norms, but boys loved to ask with each new assignment.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
NEW YORK CITY: all out call to canal street & Lafayette as of 12:26 pm, 11/22 — ICE made arrests, fears they might return.
November 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
NEW YORK CITY: all out call to canal street & Lafayette as of 12:26 pm, 11/22 — ICE made arrests, fears they might return.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
The fact that no one in the room stood up for her says a lot about how we got here bsky.app/profile/pale...
"Quiet! Quiet, Piggy."
November 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The fact that no one in the room stood up for her says a lot about how we got here bsky.app/profile/pale...
Oh, well, it's not like trust is important in teaching...
Larry Summers tells @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
November 18, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Oh, well, it's not like trust is important in teaching...
Reposted by Alex Freidus
[gift link] "At 16 and 17 years old, Sam and Ben for the past two months have made it their mission to follow, investigate and capture federal immigration activity across the Chicago area."
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/14/d...
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/14/d...
Daywatch: Teen brothers on the front lines against ‘Operation Midway Blitz’
Good morning, Chicago. Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
[gift link] "At 16 and 17 years old, Sam and Ben for the past two months have made it their mission to follow, investigate and capture federal immigration activity across the Chicago area."
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/14/d...
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/14/d...
Reposted by Alex Freidus
“Short bursts indicate an ICE sighting. Long whistles indicate agents making arrests. If you hear the whistle and you’re undocumented, said [Whitney Hu, a community activist and organizer with South Brooklyn Mutual Aid], ‘you hide. And if you’re somebody who’s not, you go to the street.’”
As ICE Street Raids Ramp Up, New Yorkers Stock Up On Whistles
Taking a cue from Chicago, community groups have distributed thousands of whistles in recent weeks — a grassroots system people in other cities have adopted to help neighbors sound the alarm.
www.thecity.nyc
November 17, 2025 at 1:44 PM
“Short bursts indicate an ICE sighting. Long whistles indicate agents making arrests. If you hear the whistle and you’re undocumented, said [Whitney Hu, a community activist and organizer with South Brooklyn Mutual Aid], ‘you hide. And if you’re somebody who’s not, you go to the street.’”
Reposted by Alex Freidus
"to get her to be good probably requires more firmness than I enjoy"
The emails have Summers reporting to Epstein about his attempts to date a Harvard economics student & to hit on her during a seminar she was giving.
November 16, 2025 at 12:30 AM
"to get her to be good probably requires more firmness than I enjoy"
Chockful or chock full... Oh well.
Happy to say that the reading/teaching guide for Unequal Lessons is now live! It's chockful of prompts and resources for folks who are using the book in reading groups or classes.
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
Y'all, I'm pretty excited that @publisherswkly.bsky.social called my book "an urgent wake-up call" and "a must-read for educators!"
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
November 14, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Chockful or chock full... Oh well.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
If you have tenure at Texas A&M and aren't maliciously emailing the president a dozen times every day to ask if you can say this or you can say that, then what's the point in having tenure?
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
If you have tenure at Texas A&M and aren't maliciously emailing the president a dozen times every day to ask if you can say this or you can say that, then what's the point in having tenure?
Reposted by Alex Freidus
Happy to say that the reading/teaching guide for Unequal Lessons is now live! It's chockful of prompts and resources for folks who are using the book in reading groups or classes.
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
Y'all, I'm pretty excited that @publisherswkly.bsky.social called my book "an urgent wake-up call" and "a must-read for educators!"
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
November 12, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Happy to say that the reading/teaching guide for Unequal Lessons is now live! It's chockful of prompts and resources for folks who are using the book in reading groups or classes.
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
Thanks to @gregpak.net for letting us know about zine folding in an "oasis of geekdom" which is truly my family's sweet spot.
I just stopped doomscrolling to (a) organize grocery gift card donations for families at my kid's school, (b) make plans to fold zines about ICE through @handsoffnyc.bsky.social and (c) call Chuck Schumer to tell him what I think of his leadership. Highly recommend, way less infuriating.
November 13, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Thanks to @gregpak.net for letting us know about zine folding in an "oasis of geekdom" which is truly my family's sweet spot.
Happy to say that the reading/teaching guide for Unequal Lessons is now live! It's chockful of prompts and resources for folks who are using the book in reading groups or classes.
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
Y'all, I'm pretty excited that @publisherswkly.bsky.social called my book "an urgent wake-up call" and "a must-read for educators!"
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
www.publishersweekly.com/9781479827817
Pre-order here and get a 30% discount using NYUAU30:
nyupress.org/978147982781...
November 12, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Happy to say that the reading/teaching guide for Unequal Lessons is now live! It's chockful of prompts and resources for folks who are using the book in reading groups or classes.
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
You can find it on the NYU Press book page or access it directly here:
nyu.app.box.com/s/hcffzukiyq...
Reposted by Alex Freidus
When I studied for a semester in Canada, I had to see a doctor. I asked about the charge and they laughed and laughed at me. I said, "But I'm not Canadian so I don't pay into the system!" They said: "We literally have nowhere to put your money."
My ACA current plan is going from $385/mo to $821/mo.
November 12, 2025 at 2:45 AM
When I studied for a semester in Canada, I had to see a doctor. I asked about the charge and they laughed and laughed at me. I said, "But I'm not Canadian so I don't pay into the system!" They said: "We literally have nowhere to put your money."
When I studied for a semester in Canada, I had to see a doctor. I asked about the charge and they laughed and laughed at me. I said, "But I'm not Canadian so I don't pay into the system!" They said: "We literally have nowhere to put your money."
My ACA current plan is going from $385/mo to $821/mo.
November 12, 2025 at 2:45 AM
When I studied for a semester in Canada, I had to see a doctor. I asked about the charge and they laughed and laughed at me. I said, "But I'm not Canadian so I don't pay into the system!" They said: "We literally have nowhere to put your money."
As the parent of a 14 y.o. who easily could have received this report card, I will just say... people will not, in fact, put up with many things if you are excellent at math.
(We are SO proud of him. But mostly because it no longer takes a page to detail concerns about how he treats other people.)
(We are SO proud of him. But mostly because it no longer takes a page to detail concerns about how he treats other people.)
I think the belief by the powerful that "people will put up with many things if you are excellent at math" is incredibly revealing in terms of understanding How We Got Here
November 11, 2025 at 10:19 PM
As the parent of a 14 y.o. who easily could have received this report card, I will just say... people will not, in fact, put up with many things if you are excellent at math.
(We are SO proud of him. But mostly because it no longer takes a page to detail concerns about how he treats other people.)
(We are SO proud of him. But mostly because it no longer takes a page to detail concerns about how he treats other people.)
Oates, Lamar, and Chotiner.
Personally, I will be trying to avoid the notice of Joyce Carol Oates and Kendrick Lamar for the rest of my natural life
I need Joyce Carol Oates to be mean to me online so I can get my life together
November 11, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Oates, Lamar, and Chotiner.
FWIW, all it takes to organize grocery gift cards is
1. Find someone who can take donations by Venmo/Zelle etc
2. Ask PTA/class parents/leaders to send emails to families with donation info
3. Use donated money to buy as many $25 gift cards as possible
4. Ask principal/PTA to distribute as needed
1. Find someone who can take donations by Venmo/Zelle etc
2. Ask PTA/class parents/leaders to send emails to families with donation info
3. Use donated money to buy as many $25 gift cards as possible
4. Ask principal/PTA to distribute as needed
I just stopped doomscrolling to (a) organize grocery gift card donations for families at my kid's school, (b) make plans to fold zines about ICE through @handsoffnyc.bsky.social and (c) call Chuck Schumer to tell him what I think of his leadership. Highly recommend, way less infuriating.
November 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
FWIW, all it takes to organize grocery gift cards is
1. Find someone who can take donations by Venmo/Zelle etc
2. Ask PTA/class parents/leaders to send emails to families with donation info
3. Use donated money to buy as many $25 gift cards as possible
4. Ask principal/PTA to distribute as needed
1. Find someone who can take donations by Venmo/Zelle etc
2. Ask PTA/class parents/leaders to send emails to families with donation info
3. Use donated money to buy as many $25 gift cards as possible
4. Ask principal/PTA to distribute as needed
Reposted by Alex Freidus
"save your anger for 2026" wait you think I'll run out in a year this is why I hate amateurs
November 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
"save your anger for 2026" wait you think I'll run out in a year this is why I hate amateurs
Reposted by Alex Freidus
It took 10 minutes total, by the way.
I just stopped doomscrolling to (a) organize grocery gift card donations for families at my kid's school, (b) make plans to fold zines about ICE through @handsoffnyc.bsky.social and (c) call Chuck Schumer to tell him what I think of his leadership. Highly recommend, way less infuriating.
November 11, 2025 at 12:35 AM
It took 10 minutes total, by the way.
I just stopped doomscrolling to (a) organize grocery gift card donations for families at my kid's school, (b) make plans to fold zines about ICE through @handsoffnyc.bsky.social and (c) call Chuck Schumer to tell him what I think of his leadership. Highly recommend, way less infuriating.
November 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
I just stopped doomscrolling to (a) organize grocery gift card donations for families at my kid's school, (b) make plans to fold zines about ICE through @handsoffnyc.bsky.social and (c) call Chuck Schumer to tell him what I think of his leadership. Highly recommend, way less infuriating.