A week from Saturday, on January 16, teachers and students in Miami Dade will participate in a rally and protest against the dismissal by Fairchild Garden trustees of the former Director of Education Caroline Lewis. (The full notice is reprinted below.) It is a teaching moment.
Miami taxpayers have had quite enough of sound judgment in the Magic City, where value magically disappears in a fog of grabbing and taking under the rubric of "investment". Another $250 million for another sports stadium? Sure. More money for monuments: by all means.
But education? And not, FCAT's. I mean, helping children form their own tools to assess and to contribute to society. That is such a low investment priority that Florida very nearly falls off the map, but for the engagement of teachers making do with less. (please click, 'read more')
The Miami-Dade schools who participated in the Fairchild Challenge come from a variety of demographics, from the poorest to the wealthiest. These schools and their students were brought together by the energy and determination of one educator, Caroline Lewis. There are several comments that have stuck with me this week, during the controversy over Ms. Lewis' dismissal. One: that no one is indispensible.
This idea that people and workers are cogs in a wheel is generally accepted. But no great achievement is ever reached-- whether by a teacher or a student-- without summoning the energy, creativity, and talent of individuals. Our society chooses to confer wealth to developers, or industrial farmers, or sports team owners sometimes through subsidies and sometimes, just sweat and sacrifice; but organizing 50,000 school children in a short seven year period-- as Caroline Lewis did-- for the purpose of education on the environment and the complexities of science and judgment that met curriculum requirements of the state: this progress was achieved through the force of will.
And it was a work-in-progress. There is no manual to duplicate the Fairchild Challenge, yet. And maybe the point of firing Caroline Lewis was to make sure there would be no manual or structure to rival the social functions of the Garden including planting sculptures of Big Foot in lily ponds.
As under-appreciated as teachers are, I am certain that teachers appreciate that there is a teaching moment on January 16th, from 10AM to noon outside the Garden.
"Dear Educators, Environmentalists, and Concerned Citizens,
Caroline Lewis, one of our rare, passionate, and superior educators, was abruptly dismissed from her position as of the Education Director at Fairchild Garden. This news came as a shock and total disbelief to all of us.
In founding and expanding the Fairchild Challenge she has given opportunities to thousands of teachers and students to feel successful and proud and to feel valued in their community.
Ms. Lewis’ tireless and inclusive efforts have empowered and touched our lives deeply and heightened environmental awareness among or teachers and students. We are stunned and dismayed at the lack of fairness and due process afforded a Fairchild manager who was also an important leader and role model in our local community. For additional information, please read Eyeonmiami, the blog:
http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/search?q=fairchild
We are organizing a rally to express our appreciation. We invite you to join teachers, students, citizens, environmentalists, friends of Fairchild Garden, and community leaders to urge the reversal of this unfortunate action.
Join us on Saturday, January 16, 2010 from 10 am to 12 noon starting outside the north entrance of the Fairchild Garden at 10901 Old Cutler Road Coral Gables, FL 33156. Public parking is available nearby or at Fairchild, for members. Hand carried signs and banners are most welcome.
Let’s show our appreciation for an outstanding educator and a legacy of good works.
Friends of Equity and Fairness"
15 comments:
After following these blogs for the last several days it appears Fairchild Gardens has deep seated problems on their hands. Why haven't people spoken up until now? Dr. Carl Lewis better be ready for the mass exodus of participants, teachers and schools from the Fairchild Challenge program once Mrs Caroline Lewis lands another job. Personnaly, I think she should start her own program, she'd have an instant following.
Caroline's inspiring words ring in my head "Welcome to Fairchild, where teachers are golden and the teaching profession is revered".
Well, Fairchild management may not be demonstrating this, but the words will always to ring true for Caroline and those in the teaching profession who have been fortunate enough to be a part of her amazing programs.
Looking forward to seeing all the teachers with signs and banners at the rally on Saturday January 16th from 10am-12pm, expressing their thanks for a true visionary and educational leader of our community. I also love reading all the comments here, on the MiamiHeral.com and at: www.carolinelewiseducation.com
Quick Points:
1) Bruce and Evelyn Greer. It is important to recognize that the political rise of Evelyn Greer coincided with Bruce Greer's control of Fairchild. For the Greer's, Fairchild has served as a useful tool for self-promotion. Every "Gala" event or concert allows the Greers to rub elbows with Miami Society.
2) Whether to support his wife politically or simple self-aggrandizement, Bruce Greer has moved Fairchild away from it's botanical focus and toward a highbrow "club." As much as I love Chihuly, Botero and Lichtenstein, one must inquire whether the garden's founders ever intended it to be an "art park", a concert venue, or house permanent facilities to host high-brow weddings. (You will hear that such events bring in money and new members. Perhaps. But the big donations have traditionally come from people obsessed, like Fairchild and Montgomery, with plants as plants)
3) The primary founder of Fairchild was Robert Montgomery. Montgomery lived a mile south of the garden and had a vast collection of rare plants. Tired of entertaining visitors, Montgomery bought the land upon which Fairchild sits. It is named for David Fairchild because Montgomery knew that his friend's name would give instant prestige and recognition.
4) If one examines the intent of Montgomery, as well as David Fairchild, you will discover individuals who were plant fanatics. In a world filled with "public gardens", Fairchild Tropical Garden was never envisioned as the Miami version of Boston's Fens or New York's Central Park. Greer's vision for the garden is the virtual antithesis of theirs.
5) Carl Lewis is powerless. As evidence by his prodigious output of scientific papers whilst "Director" of Fairchild, he is a researcher, not a manager. Indeed, Lewis has no management experience outside of Fairchild. Prior to being named Director of Fairchild, Lewis had "overseen" a staff of 22 at Fairchild. Compare that to the previous director, Mike Maunder, who came to Fairchild after being Director of Conservation at the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii and, before that, Head of Conservation Projects Development Unit at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Given the BIO of Carl Lewis: http://www.fairchildgarden.org/aboutfairchild/staffbios/carlelewis/
Putting it all together...
The 'turmoil' at Fairchild is runs much deeper than the dismissal of Caroline Lewis. The Garden is being transformed into a glamorous money making machine which bestows power and prestige upon the person who controls it: Bruce Greer. This would be true regardless of the Caroline Lewis controversy.
Letter in the Herald this morning:
Caroline Lewis excelled
The loss of Caroline Lewis from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a serious setback for children and educators of our community. I remember accompanying my daughter to a boring field trip to Fairchild 12 years ago. We sat in a rundown amphitheater and listened to an uninspired person talk about the garden.
Compare that experience to attending several of Lewis' Fairchild Environmental Challenges with the same child as a teenager. The education program was exciting, teens wandered the garden showing off their knowledge and parents and grandparents were engaged by Lewis' straightforward style and connection to the teens.
My daughter is an avid environmentalist at college and hopes to work in the environmental field, thanks to Lewis and the many educators whom she inspired. Upon her return to Miami on her first winter break, Fairchild was on her list of places to visit. Maybe the wrong person left Fairchild.
PENNY ARONSOHN TANNENBAUM, Coconut Grove
I agree with you John P. Mrs. Lewis should take this opportunity to take her Challenge participants and go elsewhere. Fairchild does not deserve her and I guarantee you every educator and school would follow. Be it Montogemery Botanical, Pinecrest Gardens, a school or even her very own program. She could continue her quest to educate tomorrows leaders without even a hiccup.
Anom. above with the quick points, You just confirmed what I've begun to think about all this fuss and whats going on at Fairchild Gardens. Now I'm sick to my stomach. #1 and #2 make me want to puke!
What A PR nightmare! Bruce Greer needs to resign immediatley if this Garden is to survive.
As an outside observer watching as this situation esculates, it is clear the Board there has a big problem. This situation is not good for the community, students, the organization itself, the gradens, the professional careers of the people involved, or the educational work in progress. The Board needs to call in an outside mediator at once, to bring this thing to a head and end the confrontational tone which seems to characterize the situation. We need a win-win for everyone here, not a winner take all outcome. The key here is whether people can work together for a higher goal devoid of ego. If the answer is no, then we all loose.
I beg to differ with you. It is good for the community and all involved as it is shining a light and exposing the deep seated, self serving agenda of a rogue individual. We will have a win-win for everyone as soon as we get new leadership and bring the garden back to it's mission of conservation, education and research. We definitely all stand a chance of losing if we don't act now.
Anonymous
As a volunteer, member, and former employee of the Garden, changes need to be implemented ASAP if this miraculous tropical garden is to uphold its reputation in the community and throughout the world. Many have devoted their time, energy, heart and soul to keep the garden's mission on track. The Board of Directors needs an overhauling and Caroline Lewis needs to continue her excellent work in South Florida, whether at Fairchild or elsewhere.
I just read that the Federal Goverment uses the word "Negro" on it's 2010 Cenus form. People are wondering, should we fire the President of the United States since he is the Director of the Federal Goverment? I don't think so... this is akin to how foolish the events at Fairchild Garden have become. Lets continue our protest into the mismanagment by the Board of Trustees who are turning this historical botanical garden into an affluently connected social events platform.
Not only is Fairchild becoming an affluently-connected platform, but an anti-environmental platform as well. Isn't is interesting that the one person who wrote a letter to the Herald in defense of Bruce Greer is his pal Armando Codina, one of the biggest developers in South Florida? Codina has an anti-environmental record. Maybe Bruce and his group are uncomfortable with a strong environmental education program because of their anti-environmental business practices. It looks like the puppeteer at Fairchild is whoever is giving big money, like the donors for the new Science Village, and Bruce and the Board are puppets too. What happened to the visionary leadership of the past?
Visionary leadership.....that vaporized at the hands of the current Board of Trustees. Remember when Armando Codina illicited Jeb Bush's help to destroy mangroves and fill wetlands at Deering Bay to build that Jack Nicholas golf course. Your right he(Greer) is anti-environmental. The new Science Building is going to be a Disney like attraction built to increase gate admissions and will be a false front to Fairchilds research efforts. This is a garden not an amusement park!
As quoted in The Panhandle Paradox by Hal Herring,
None of this was surprising, given the enormous influence that St. Joe has exerted in the region, as St. Petersburg Times reporters Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite write in their new book, Paving Paradise: Florida's Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss. "St. Joe's development machine is oiled by its political influence," they note in a chapter on the new airport. "Between 1997 and 2002, St. Joe donated the maximum legal amount to more than 100 candidates for state cabinet and legislative posts from both parties, with subsidiaries like Arvida often making an identical donation to the same candidates." Further connections to the political structure of the region are well known now to anyone who has followed the story: Jeb Bush was once a part of the Codina Group, the 12th-largest real estate development firm in the state, which was founded by Armando Codina, a supporter and friend of former President George H.W. Bush. St. Joe purchased 50 percent of the Codina Group in the late '90s, cementing ties to the man who would be Florida's governor. A Panama City attorney, William Harrison, represented St. Joe and was the co-chair of George W. Bush's presidential campaign in the Panhandle".
Not sure Greer should be recieving letters of praise from a guy like Codina. Sounds like he'd like to develope every square inch of this state.
Correction, It was an Arnold Palmer designed golf course for which Codina needed Jeb Bush's connections to bulldoze wetlands and destroy coastal mangroves. And how about the 400 acres of impaired wetlands he drained to build Beacon Lakes Office Complex which borders our freshwater aquifer that supplies 45% of the county's drinking water.
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