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)
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...
I truly cannot imagine how a parent gets to this place. My 10 year old takes the subway by himself and while I can track him if needed, I rarely think to do so. (And I am actually a fairly anxious parent!)
September 18, 2026 at 4:02 PM
I truly cannot imagine how a parent gets to this place. My 10 year old takes the subway by himself and while I can track him if needed, I rarely think to do so. (And I am actually a fairly anxious parent!)
It's true! I do it all the time. And other people come to my class to do the same.
And guess what? When students know the author is coming, they give the text an extra close reading and come up with all kinds of unanticipated questions and it's delightful.
And guess what? When students know the author is coming, they give the text an extra close reading and come up with all kinds of unanticipated questions and it's delightful.
PSA: you know what scholars love? Talking about their books! You know what you can do? Invite them to your class to do so. It’s great! You absolutely do not have to use AI or tell students to use AI to understand their books. You can get the actual real life person to help with that! For free!
September 18, 2026 at 1:56 PM
It's true! I do it all the time. And other people come to my class to do the same.
And guess what? When students know the author is coming, they give the text an extra close reading and come up with all kinds of unanticipated questions and it's delightful.
And guess what? When students know the author is coming, they give the text an extra close reading and come up with all kinds of unanticipated questions and it's delightful.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
September 17, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Me to my kid, who is showing me a Minecraft world he built full of prisons and lava pits: "You are building a dystopia, I don't want to see it!"
Me reading the news this evening:...
Me reading the news this evening:...
September 17, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Me to my kid, who is showing me a Minecraft world he built full of prisons and lava pits: "You are building a dystopia, I don't want to see it!"
Me reading the news this evening:...
Me reading the news this evening:...
Accepted in 24 hours. Perhaps I should always write 11 page response letters.
Came back with "minor revisions" which took us less than a week to complete - so I'd say the response letter was worth the time!
Y'all, when I tell you we just submitted an 11 page response letter with a journal article revision.
September 13, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Accepted in 24 hours. Perhaps I should always write 11 page response letters.
Came back with "minor revisions" which took us less than a week to complete - so I'd say the response letter was worth the time!
Y'all, when I tell you we just submitted an 11 page response letter with a journal article revision.
September 11, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Came back with "minor revisions" which took us less than a week to complete - so I'd say the response letter was worth the time!
Well I am really preferring reading a romance set in academia to actually being an academic right now.
September 11, 2026 at 1:44 AM
Well I am really preferring reading a romance set in academia to actually being an academic right now.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
And they say it’s hard to find new music.
September 4, 2026 at 11:51 AM
And they say it’s hard to find new music.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
"At Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, often considered the most selective of the city’s specialized high schools, three of the 777 offers were made to Black students, and 21 were for Hispanic students" -- www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/n...
September 3, 2026 at 8:03 PM
"At Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, often considered the most selective of the city’s specialized high schools, three of the 777 offers were made to Black students, and 21 were for Hispanic students" -- www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/n...
Ahem, we now need to do a round of minor revisions and...
September 3, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Ahem, we now need to do a round of minor revisions and...
Reposted by Alex Freidus
If you haven’t read the dedication of Gloria Steinem’s autobiography My Life on the Road, it is really worth taking a second today.
September 3, 2026 at 11:59 AM
If you haven’t read the dedication of Gloria Steinem’s autobiography My Life on the Road, it is really worth taking a second today.
Happy first day of grad/undergrad classes to all who are celebrating!
Since NYC schools don't start for another 10 days (don't get me started), the 10 y.o. is coming to campus with me. He asked me this morning if I was going to make him take a tour.
Since NYC schools don't start for another 10 days (don't get me started), the 10 y.o. is coming to campus with me. He asked me this morning if I was going to make him take a tour.
August 31, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Happy first day of grad/undergrad classes to all who are celebrating!
Since NYC schools don't start for another 10 days (don't get me started), the 10 y.o. is coming to campus with me. He asked me this morning if I was going to make him take a tour.
Since NYC schools don't start for another 10 days (don't get me started), the 10 y.o. is coming to campus with me. He asked me this morning if I was going to make him take a tour.
It is very satisfying to take all the minutiae I have learned about school/district policies over the years and weaponize them against really negligent/harmful people. Compliance for the win!
August 28, 2026 at 2:03 AM
It is very satisfying to take all the minutiae I have learned about school/district policies over the years and weaponize them against really negligent/harmful people. Compliance for the win!
Reposted by Alex Freidus
Reposted by Alex Freidus
I always liked that she chose to be her unapologetic self in the face of a classist, sexist culture that pathologizes and humiliates women who look like her
critical to remember that for a lot of dolly's adult life she was a punchline - the reverence is recent. nevertheless she persisted etc
August 25, 2026 at 6:52 PM
I always liked that she chose to be her unapologetic self in the face of a classist, sexist culture that pathologizes and humiliates women who look like her
Reposted by Alex Freidus
Dolly Parton and Patti LaBelle playing their acrylics. Two icons.
August 25, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Dolly Parton and Patti LaBelle playing their acrylics. Two icons.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
there will be many ways to celebrate dolly parton and the one I want to point out is that she was a friend of Miss Piggy
August 25, 2026 at 6:14 PM
there will be many ways to celebrate dolly parton and the one I want to point out is that she was a friend of Miss Piggy
Upping this one because I think everyone should enjoy every half-price book they can get. Not just mine!
(But also if you are considering teaching my book this semester, this is a real gift for students. And please know that I am always happy to visit your class, whether or not they buy the book.)
(But also if you are considering teaching my book this semester, this is a real gift for students. And please know that I am always happy to visit your class, whether or not they buy the book.)
Friends, all books published by NYU Press are 50% off until 8/31. So if you ever considered picking up my book - or assigning it for the fall semester - now is a great time. Shop and enjoy!
nyupress.org/978147982781...
nyupress.org/978147982781...
August 25, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Upping this one because I think everyone should enjoy every half-price book they can get. Not just mine!
(But also if you are considering teaching my book this semester, this is a real gift for students. And please know that I am always happy to visit your class, whether or not they buy the book.)
(But also if you are considering teaching my book this semester, this is a real gift for students. And please know that I am always happy to visit your class, whether or not they buy the book.)
I complain about this EVERY year. A lot. I start teaching next Monday... they go back to school on Sept. 10. While my kids are older and require less hands-on supervision now, it was a major stressor for all of elementary school, and I still wouldn't call it easy.
While kids in Chicago, L.A., and Miami are already back in class, NYC students don’t return until Sept. 10. With summer camps over, parents face high costs for late-August childcare.
Here’s why NYC is the nation’s only major school district waiting for September to start classes
While kids in Chicago, L.A., and Miami are already back in class, NYC students don’t return until Sept. 10. With summer camps over, parents face high costs for late-August childcare.
bit.ly
August 25, 2026 at 4:26 PM
I complain about this EVERY year. A lot. I start teaching next Monday... they go back to school on Sept. 10. While my kids are older and require less hands-on supervision now, it was a major stressor for all of elementary school, and I still wouldn't call it easy.
Reposted by Alex Freidus
here is the thing. if you tell me that you believe that race is a biological category and that it is a guide to the objective superiority and inferiority of groups of people, i am not calling you a racist to *insult* you, i am calling you a racist because it best describes your beliefs.
not only that, they are demanding that they not be called racist when they are observed to be signing up to support the racist
August 23, 2026 at 12:22 AM
here is the thing. if you tell me that you believe that race is a biological category and that it is a guide to the objective superiority and inferiority of groups of people, i am not calling you a racist to *insult* you, i am calling you a racist because it best describes your beliefs.
Hanging out with sister and family from Toronto. We met up in northern Quebec. They have spent a week extolling the virtues of poutine. I finally realize that I just don't like gravy. My nephew: "Oh well, then yeah. You're never gonna like poutine."
August 19, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Hanging out with sister and family from Toronto. We met up in northern Quebec. They have spent a week extolling the virtues of poutine. I finally realize that I just don't like gravy. My nephew: "Oh well, then yeah. You're never gonna like poutine."
Friends, all books published by NYU Press are 50% off until 8/31. So if you ever considered picking up my book - or assigning it for the fall semester - now is a great time. Shop and enjoy!
nyupress.org/978147982781...
nyupress.org/978147982781...
August 18, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Friends, all books published by NYU Press are 50% off until 8/31. So if you ever considered picking up my book - or assigning it for the fall semester - now is a great time. Shop and enjoy!
nyupress.org/978147982781...
nyupress.org/978147982781...
Most people are wrong about what makes a school "good."
What’s a thing from your area of expertise (or special interest) that you think it would behoove everyone else to know?
August 14, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Most people are wrong about what makes a school "good."
Reposted by Alex Freidus
My fabulous dept, the Dept of Social & Critical Inquiry @uconn.bsky.social is hiring a Dept Head! Thrilled bc many of us worked across our interdisciplinary units for years to create this new dept that values critical & public scholarship. Come be my colleague!!! jobs.hr.uconn.edu/en-us/job/49...
UConn Careers | UConn Careers | University of Connecticut
jobs.hr.uconn.edu
August 11, 2026 at 9:26 PM
My fabulous dept, the Dept of Social & Critical Inquiry @uconn.bsky.social is hiring a Dept Head! Thrilled bc many of us worked across our interdisciplinary units for years to create this new dept that values critical & public scholarship. Come be my colleague!!! jobs.hr.uconn.edu/en-us/job/49...
People have faculty lounges?
Sneering about the "faculty lounge" is deeply funny.
Most departments don't have one, but if they do, it's like a wall of mailboxes, a coffee maker and maybe a mini-fridge.
You're basically sneering about the break room on The Office. "Oooh, look who has a *vending* machine! Excuse me, m'lord!"
Most departments don't have one, but if they do, it's like a wall of mailboxes, a coffee maker and maybe a mini-fridge.
You're basically sneering about the break room on The Office. "Oooh, look who has a *vending* machine! Excuse me, m'lord!"
August 7, 2026 at 8:41 PM
People have faculty lounges?