Blog

Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

Literacy Rights are Human Rights

The notion of “Parental Rights” has been appropriated by dangerous far right extremists to cancel curriculum that finds fault with a narrative as old as America’s original sin.

And yet, in a successful lawsuit filed in California, parent plaintiffs expressed their own, collective “parental rights” within a larger, constitutional context: the right to read.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

World’s Fair, Fair World?

The 1939-1940 World’s Fair, 80+ years later, as seen through the eyes of a pandemic-addled senior citizen. The Fair in New York was all about a “vision” for the world of tomorrow. I take issue with this.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

Pandemic Park

This spring, the news broke that baseball season would be but a dugout shadow of its former self. But there’s no crying in baseball. I decided to step up and make my own stadium—with a twist.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

World Teachers’ Day

Every October 5th is World Teachers Day. Most people have never heard of it. For me, it’s World Teachers Day 365 days a year. They are, after all, the glue that holds society together.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

My Classroom, Global Emergencies

Teachers are tyrannized by the urgent. It’s one career, but many jobs: counselor, project planner, police officer, parent. Why burden them with more? The answer: teachers are uniquely qualified to embrace the meaningful and the true over the expedient.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

You’re Selfish. No, You’re a Fool

I once lost my temper over a subject that should be discussed rationally between two grownups. I believe in sharing collective wisdom, without restrictive copyrights. He sees intellectual property as a cash cow he will never relinquish.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

Thought Leaders

I love the New Yorker cartoon depicting a man crawling through a desert, parched, shirtless, looking ahead at a mirage. Parched, yet hopeful, the desperate man utters: “Thank God! “A panel of experts!”

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

Crash Course in Economics, Part 1

In order to solve an equation, we are told, just simplify operations. What you do to one side of the equation you must do to the other. Then, voilà, you can go out and play.

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Fred Mednick Fred Mednick

Crash Course, Part 2

There are mathematical formulas for measuring a society’s level of inequality. Some good ones, some bad ones. Policies and people’s lives depend upon them. Educators should know about them.

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