The Miracle at Marsh Fork Elementary School

In the wake of the recent tragedy in CT, here's an uplifting elementary school story which has been almost ten years in the making.

I have followed the story of and written about Ed Wiley and his fight to keep his granddaughter and the students of Marsh Fork Elementary (Sundial, West Virginia) out of harm's way.  (The school is situated 400 yards downstream from a 2.8 billion gallon coal waste dam.)  When state assistance was not provided, Mr. Wiley led concerned citizens on a 455-mile walk to Washington D.C. in 2008, got a meeting with then-Senator Byrd, and put the children of Marsh Fork on the map.  

In January 2013, Marsh Fork Elementary School will open its doors to a new, relocated, state-of-the art facility, due to Mr. Wiley's efforts and the efforts of those mentioned in the below article.

Grandpa v. Big Coal

The Huffington Post

by Perry Binder 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/perry-binder/grandpas-school-kids-vers_b_774929.html 

This is not an environmental issue. This is about a little human being. -- Ed Wiley (Grandpa) speaking to West Virginia then-Governor Manchin

I came across a story from July 2005 about West Virginia's Marsh Fork Elementary School, which is situated 400 yards below a 2.8 billion gallon coal waste dam. 400 yards? 2.8 billion gallons. With the kids breathing coal dust and chemicals from the coal silo which sits 150 feet away. The only reason this is making any news is that the grandfather of one of the elementary school kids sat on the West Virginia Capitol steps and refused to leave until the governor addressed these rather serious concerns. The guy was just a little curious why the Department of Environmental Protection approved a permit for an additional coal silo adjacent to the school. He was just wondering why in a school of 200 students, three kids and four teachers had died of cancer. And with 240 significant safety violations since 1991, why nothing was being done, like building another school. Away from the madness. 2.8 billion gallons. 2.8 billion. School's not out. School's gone!

In 2008, Mr. Wiley went on a 455-mile hike to Washington, D.C. and actually got a meeting with United States Senator Robert Byrd. He started a web site, Pennies of Promise to raise money for a new school. ... Truth be told, while grandpa was getting publicity for his cause, the money raised was a mere fraction of the $8,000,000 needed to fund a new school. But Mr. Wiley persisted, as attested to by his many supporters.

Continue reading here

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/perry-binder/grandpas-school-kids-vers_b_774929.html 

Peaceful holidays.

Perry

In Rust Belt, a teenager’s climb from poverty

Excellent article about personal obstacles, perseverance, and driving your destiny by escaping the path which molded you...

In Rust Belt, a teenager’s climb from poverty
The Washington Post, By Anne Hull, Published: December 8

Week after week, the mailman climbed the steep hill of Shenango Street to the house with the busted porch steps. “Dear Miss Rouzzo,” the letters began, or “Dear Tabitha Rouzzo.” The college catalogues barely fit in the mailbox. They stuck out like gift-wrapped presents against white aluminum siding gone dingy from decades of wear. On the porch were three new Linen Breeze decorative candles — a nice try, thought the actual Tabitha Rouzzo, who came walking up the hill every afternoon with her mind on the mailbox....
Tabi shared the rental house with her mother and sometimes her mother’s boyfriend. Her four older siblings were grown. None of them had graduated from high school. They wore headsets and hairnets to jobs that were so futureless that getting pregnant at 20 seemed an enriching diversion. Born too late to witness the blue-collar stability that had once been possible, they occupied the bottom of the U.S. economy.

Continue reading
In Rust Belt, a teenager’s climb from poverty
Read the last paragraph to see where her career path has started.

Is Actual Innocence “Capturing the Friedmans,” 25 Years Later?

Jesse Friedman served thirteen years in prison for crimes he claims that he did not commit.  He is currently registered as a Level 3 sex offender.

Is Actual Innocence “Capturing the Friedmans,” 25 Years Later?
by Perry Binder
The Huffington Post 

On November 25, 1987, I was sprawled out on my parents’ couch, when my favorite high school teacher appeared on the TV news.  Arnold Friedman was a retired NYC instructor who taught computer classes in his home for local kids.  I watched as he and his 17-year old son, Jesse, were handcuffed and hauled away for horrific child molestation crimes occurring in their basement.  I fell off that couch in disbelief.
Continued below...

Bayside High School yearbook picture of Arnold Friedman

(Perry Binder, student, is pictured in the background, on the left)

The author took Organic Chemistry and Nuclear Chemistry high school courses with Arnold Friedman.  The latter class included a discussion of the effects of radiation on human and animal life.  With that fact in mind, Mr. Friedman wrote the following beside the above yearbook photo:

Article continued:

Arnold and Jesse Friedman each pled guilty to avoid a trial, and Jesse learned of his father’s prison suicide in 1995.  Since his release in 2001, Jesse has attempted to clear his name, so he no longer must register as a Level 3 violent sexual predator.  In 2003, new facts about his case emerged in the Oscar-nominated documentary, Capturing the Friedmans, which examined the evidence against the Friedmans and questioned whether any of the allegations against them were truthful.

On August 16, 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit found "a reasonable likelihood that Jesse Friedman was wrongfully convicted" and that "the police, prosecutors and the [trial] judge did everything they could to coerce a guilty plea and avoid a trial."  That November, the Nassau County District Attorney appointed a panel of four experts to review the evidence against Jesse.  To date, the panel has not released its findings.  On November 18, 2012, a Great Neck, N.Y. town hall was convened to present a 75-minute new evidence reel, with Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling, director and producer respectively of Capturing the Friedmans, civil rights attorney Ronald Kuby, and Jesse Friedman in attendance.  (I previewed the video for this article.)

Continue Reading in The Huffington Post:

Is Actual Innocence “Capturing the Friedmans,” 25 Years Later?
by Perry Binder

New Book Reviews of 99 Motivators for College Success

As an avid reader, I've enjoyed interacting with fellow readers on GoodReads.com.  In addition, this site has given me a great forum as an author to interact with readers of 99 Motivators for College Success.

If you read my blog, please consider friending and/or following me at
Perry Binder on GoodReads 

1- GoodReads Reviews for 99 Motivators for College Success 
(4.83/5.0) - 6 Ratings

- Right now I am a high school student and I'm going to be taking a Law Studies class my Junior year and I think this book will be very useful.

- Received this book in a giveaway, but its advice is WAY more valuable than that might hint. The one that really sticks out (and could have saved me a lot of wasted time) is how you should choose a vocation (pays well!) versus an avocation (hobby; little or no pay!).
- The book is divided into three sections: how to adjust to college, how to succeed in class, and how to properly apply your degree to your future career.  Of the career section, the best advice numbers came with the bureau of labor statistic inserts, allowing an influence and perspective into the quote or advice. In succeeding in class, the most helpful pages had advice on mentors and how to properly write an essay or take a multiple choice test. The Adjusting to college had a huge emphasis placed on making friends and overall enjoying life because that is what one should be doing at college.  Overall, it was a great book. Only problem is that I am now freaking out over my career prospects. Oh well!

2- Amazon Reviews (5.0/5.0) - 3 Ratings

- I have enjoyed reading this book. It was quite helpful in getting me motivated for the right reasons. I would definitely recommend it for other college students.

- Fantastic book and a quick read. Perry is a motivating professor; which is carried forward into his writing. Purchase the book you will be satisfied.
- Perry Binder really knows how to make the apprehension that surrounds such a daunting period easy to overcome using his logical and common sense view points. Although this is a short read, the wisdom found between the covers provides insight for everyone and will keep you coming back as a source of inspiration and motivation for years to come. Having been fortunate enough to experience his teaching first hand, I know these motivators are based on real world experiences that he has gained as a practicing attorney and professor. His gift is his ability to break down complex issues into their simplest common denominators so they can be easily analyzed and resolved. Perry is able to provide thoughtful insight to the seemingly obvious or create that "aha" moment that the reader will find humorous and enlightening. As with all of Professor Binder's books, the reader will discover that the truth will set you free and leave you with a smile on your face.

Amazon: 99 Motivators for College Success

3- Perry's Former Students - Testimonials on Perry's Classes

Justice Served? Jesse Friedman Panel is Taking Two Years for a Ruling

Jesse Friedman Update - I'm writing a case update in two weeks for The Huffington Post.  It is now going on two years that a panel was appointed (November 2010) by the Nassau County DA's Office to review this case.

July 2010: Nearly two years after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit took the unusual step of urging a "complete review" of what it suggested could have been the wrongful conviction of an innocent man in a notorious case of mass child molestation, the defendant and his lawyer have become frustrated at what they say is the secretive way in which the Nassau County District Attorney's Office is conducting the probe.
New York Law Journal

Click here for Case Review Panel Members

Click below for my Huffington Post article (August 2010):

"Capturing the Friedmans" Dad was my Unforgettable Teacher: Apply His Classroom Lessons to Set his Son Free by Perry Binder

Excerpt:
I don't know if Jesse is innocent, but I do believe he was pressured into accepting a plea deal and his guilt cannot be proven "beyond a reasonable doubt."  At the moment, his status as a sex offender is in the hands of prosecutors, who hopefully can apply Arnold Friedman's classroom lessons of compassion, rather than implicate Jesse by default for his father's sins.

Guest Blogger Jason Aldrich on "Career Rock Climbing"

Jason Aldrich is the Executive Director of the Career Management Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. (where I teach)

Jason's article is a terrific look at how career building is no longer about ladder climbing.  He offers:
SEVEN CAREER ROCK CLIMBING PRINCIPLES: A NEW STRATEGY FOR THE 21st CENTURY

I particularly like:

Principle # 5 – Strategic sideways moves are smart…Keep moving!  The quickest path to the top may no longer be straight up.  Just as true rock climbing often requires lateral moves, 
so does career rock climbing. The worst thing you can do is freeze up because it drains energy and wastes time.

Career Strategy – A strategic sideways move may actually accelerate your growth in the long run.

Actions
- Your firm is launching a new product, has a major problem, or wants to expand a department. This is your chance to make a strategic lateral move if it helps you move in a new direction, build competencies for the future, expands your network and raises your profile in the organization or community.
- Even if you have to take a lateral move or a step back, the key is to keep moving. For example, a friend of  mine lost his job in 2005, took a job at Starbucks to get out of the house, and less than a year later he was a regional manager with 12 stores and he’s been there ever since.
- Don’t allow organizational restructurings or interpersonal conflicts derail you.

Read the article (pdf):
Career Rock Climbing: How the Career Ladder Became a Rock Wall and What You Can Do About It

Justice Story Updates: Grandpa = Yes; Jesse = No; 9/11 = Maybe

For those following the justice stories I've written about over the past two years:

Good News: Marsh Fork Elementary is expected to be completed in December 2012!
Grandpa versus Big Coal
"This is not an environmental issue. This is about a little human being." -- Ed Wiley (Grandpa) speaking to then West Virginia Governor (now U.S. Senator) Manchin
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/perry-binder/grandpas-school-kids-vers_b_774929.html

It is now over two years since the U.S. Court of Appeals found  "a reasonable likelihood that Jesse Friedman was wrongfully convicted" and that "the police, prosecutors and the [trial] judge did everything they could to coerce a guilty plea and avoid a trial."   The Nassau DA investigative panel convened in November 2010, and has not released its findings to date.
"Capturing the Friedmans" Dad was my Unforgettable Teacher: Apply His Classroom Lessons to Set His Son Free
Intellectually, I know you cannot separate the person [Arnold Friedman] from the teacher. For me, it is contradictory and maddening that this person provided meaningful guidance to countless students.   I don't know if Jesse is innocent, but I do believe he was pressured into accepting a plea deal and his guilt cannot be proven "beyond a reasonable doubt." At the moment, his status as a sex offender is in the hands of prosecutors, who hopefully can apply Arnold Friedman's classroom lessons of compassion, rather than implicate Jesse by default for his father's sins.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/perry-binder/capturing-the-friedmans-d_b_689465.html

While the Bavis family unexpectedly settled its wrongful death civil case, the airlines and airport security firms are likely headed to trial before Judge Hellerstein, in a related civil case filed by the WTC property owners.
The Upcoming 9/11 Trial isn't about Money but Elusive Justice
"Money is the universal lubricant. It makes it easier to go on with one's life."
-- Judge Alvin Hellerstein
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/perry-binder/9-11-trial_b_923234.html

Press for 99 Motivators for College Success Book

99 MOTIVATORS FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS IN THE NEWS

The Huffington Post - Book excerpts reprinted
- 10 Tips for Picking a Career Path in College
- 10 Tips for Thriving in College Life
- 10 Classroom Tips for Your First College Semester

Teacher's Gazette - Book excerpts reprinted
- 10 Career Path Tips to Guide Your Students
- Light Bulb Moments for New Teachers

North Fulton: GSU professor's book helps transition to college

Patch: Book Gives Tips for College Success

Pipe Dream: BU grad writes book to help new college students

PERRY's FORMER STUDENTS PROMOTING 99 MOTIVATORS FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS

Mr. Binder is the Michael Jordan of teaching!  Harlem Duru
I will never forget coming back from surgery and the first thing he does is start the class on a welcome back chant for me.  Kevin Clodfelter
Perry Binder was not only a Professor, but a Mentor.  His classes were not about memorizing material, but taking it and applying to real-life scenarios.  Lizette Olaechea
Perry's class was more than just another class for me, it was a decision making catalyst, and had a huge impact on my future.  Kevin Crayon

MEDIA PRAISE FOR PERRY's FIRST BOOK, UNLOCKING YOUR RUBBER ROOM (2009)

The Dallas Morning News Business Book Review

Binder's 44 lessons "make so much sense"

The Signal Book Review

Hilarious ... motivational, and a funny pick-me-up

Office Arrow Book Review

Perry's heartfelt commencement address is perhaps one of the most moving pieces of writing I've read in some time.

BINDER'S RADIO & TELEVISION APPEARANCES

FOX-TV Atlanta - Employees who blog on and off company time
Court TV Radio - Duke Lacrosse Sexual Allegations
ESPN Classic - Discussed controversial sports figures, including O.J. Simpson, Pete Rose, and Tonya Harding
WGST Radio, Atlanta, GA - Wal-Mart Class action Certification
CBS Radio News (Nationwide) - 9/11 Compensation Fund deadline
AP Radio (Nationwide) - 9/11 Compensation Fund deadline
WRVA, Richmond, VA - 9-11 Litigation
CFRB, Toronto, Canada - 9-11 Litigation
WSYR, Syracuse, NY - 9/11 Compensation Fund issues
KXLY, Spokane, WA - 9/11 Compensation Fund issues
WSB-TV Action News, Atlanta, GA - McDonald's Contest Fraud case

BINDER QUOTED IN PRINT MEDIA

Employment Law
Papa Joe Chevalier Syndicated Radio Show  - New York Knicks/MSG Sexual Harassment case
Newsday  - New York Knicks/MSG Sexual Harassment case
Atlanta Business Chronicle - Let Employees Write Blogs (Viewpoint)
Spirit Magazine - Blog policy for employees
FOX-TV Atlanta - Employees who blog on and off company time
Associated Press - Legal experts see signs of trouble for Wal-Mart's Coughlin
Financial Times - Wal-Mart Class action Certification
Atlanta Journal Constitution - Wal-Mart Class action Certification
Associated Press (over 100 newspapers) - Wal-Mart Gender Discrimination
USA Today - Wal-Mart Gender Discrimination
Associated Press - Wal-Mart Gender Discrimination

Tort and Contract Litigation
Court TV Radio - Duke Lacrosse Sexual Allegations (Criminal/Civil Implications)
MSNBC/Minneapolis Star Tribune - N.Y. sues Guidant over its defibrillators
Atlanta Journal Constitution - Employer liable for employee's accident (driving while on cell phone)
Rocky Mountain News - Kobe Bryant Civil Case
MSNBC & Orange County Register - Kobe Bryant Civil Case
Philadelphia Inquirer/San Jose Mercury News - Kobe Bryant Civil Case
News Daily - Home Depot/Isuzu Lawsuit
Associated Press - 9/11 Compensation Fund Office Closes
Associated Press (over 20 newspapers) - 9/11 Compensation Fund
The New York Times - 9/11 Compensation Fund issues
The New York Times - 9/11 Litigation

E-Commerce Issues
Cox News Services - Ringtones becoming more personalized
Christian Science Monitor/CBS News/ABC News - YouTube and Copyright Laws
Spirit Magazine - Blog policy for employees
FOX-TV Atlanta - Employees who blog on and off company time
Times-Herald - Music downloading
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Music copyright lawsuit
Investor's Business Daily - Domain Name issues
The Freelance Star, Fredericksburg, VA - Domain Name issues
The Columbian, Vancouver, WA - Domain Name issues

Sports Issues
Papa Joe Chevalier Syndicated Radio Show  
- New York Knicks/MSG Sexual Harassment case
-  Roger Clemens case
Newsday  - New York Knicks/MSG Sexual Harassment case
Court TV Radio - Duke Lacrosse Sexual Allegations
ESPN Classic - Discussed controversial sports figures, including O.J. Simpson, Pete Rose, and Tonya Harding
Rocky Mountain News - Kobe Bryant Civil Case
MSNBC & Orange County Register - Kobe Bryant Civil Case
Philadelphia Inquirer/San Jose Mercury News - Kobe Bryant Civil Case
Fox News - Politics at the Olympics
Russia Profile magazine - Moscow and the 2012 Olympic Bid

Contact Perry

Perry Binder, J.D.
MPI Platinum Program Speaker, 2009-present

Perry Binder

P.O. Box 3774

Alpharetta, GA 30023

404-402-1892

E-mail: PerryBinder@gmail.com 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Perry_Binder

Proud Teacher Moment: Student Publishes Opinion Piece in The Huffington Post

One of my students published this opinion piece, timed to the one-year anniversary of the execution of Troy Davis in Georgia.  In the Introduction to Law class, we discussed many topics, including the criminal justice systems in the U.S. and Italy.

Troy Davis Would be Alive and Possibly Free Today if Re-Tried like Amanda Knox in Italy
by Samaria Smith

As I recall the minutes after his death, I think of the rage in my heart as I desperately sought understanding on how any system of justice could presume to be so perfect as to take a life for a life. Several months later, I carried my rage to Florence, Italy where I studied abroad in a Georgia State University law class, which compared the U.S. and Italian justice systems.

In Italy, I wrote about the case of Troy Davis -- the black Georgia man convicted of the 1989 shooting death of police officer Mark MacPhail. Simply stated, Davis's conviction, sentence, and lethal injection were administered under a reasonable amount of reasonable doubt.

Continue reading... Troy Davis Would be Alive and Possibly Free Today if Re-Tried like Amanda Knox in Italy

Teacher's Gazette: 10 Career Path Tips to Guide Your Students

I reprinted this article on one of my favorite Teacher websites, which has incredible resources for new or seasoned K-12 Teachers.

10 Career Path Tips to Guide Your Students

In the sage words of Yogi Berra, “if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll be lost when you get there.” Picking a career path boils down to a cost benefit analysis and a gut check. It is a game of reality versus passion, and your students can start blazing a meaningful path in high school.

But hopefully students can appreciate that every career has an arc, and they aren’t even at the beginning of the curve. Don’t be surprised if their career direction changes significantly a few times before and after they reach the peak.

With that message in mind, here are my 10 career path tips to guide your students:

1. Don’t let anyone crush your dreams. However, the riskier your dream, the better your backup plan must be.

2. There is a huge difference between a childhood dream and a dream job. If you dreamed of being a lawyer since the age of twelve, you better make sure you know exactly what attorneys do on a given twelve hour work day. Did You Know: In a survey of 800 attorneys, only 55 percent reported being satisfied with their career.

3. Make sure your dream job is not an avocation (a hobby). An avocation is a vacation from a vocation, because the pay ranges from little to nothing.

Continue reading at Teachers.net Gazette