The Curriculum Subcommittee recommended that Brookline High piloted an interdisciplinary senior offering, now titled Justice in Action, which pairs an English credit and a social studies credit and is designed to include supervised job‑shadowing and community partnerships.

Presenters said the course would be taught across two blocks by two teachers — an English teacher and a social studies teacher — and would require students to sign up for both parts together, not one or the other. John (staff member presenting) said the model is similar to the school’s American Studies approach: “They've designed a pretty thoughtful course that builds on case studies,” he said, citing extended case study work on high‑profile legal matters and local cases.

A core element of the proposal is a Q3 job‑shadowing or supervised observation period that would replace several in‑school days with approximately four observation hours per week. Presenters described that experience as a required, supervised element that would be paired with reflection journals and Q4 projects drawing on the observational work. “So they would have two quarters of pretty traditional schoolwork and learning and study. And then ... this is a way for them to do some supervised experience,” the presenter said.

Marcy Miller, named in the presentation as the experienced legal studies teacher connected to the proposal, has existing partnerships with local courts, law firms and the Brookline Police; the presenters said those relationships would support placements and in‑school police academy sessions. Committee members raised concerns about police presence in school and noted earlier local debates over school resource officers; presenters and other committee members described the planned interactions as guest‑speaking, community partnership and supervised observation rather than stationing officers in daily school operations.

Presenters said they are seeking Innovation Fund support for planning and a course‑release model in the first year to build the partnership infrastructure. They told the subcommittee the long‑term staffing cost would be managed in the regular staffing model once the course runs (comparable to the current American Studies double‑block model), and the course would not add ongoing operational costs beyond regular staffing.

The subcommittee voted to recommend Justice in Action to the full committee. The motion to recommend passed with recorded yes votes from Steven, Jesse, Helen and the presiding member.

Votes at a glance: Motion to recommend Justice in Action (paired English + social studies, with Q3 job‑shadowing) — mover: Helen (School Committee member); second: Jesse (School Committee member); vote: yes — recorded yes votes: Steven; Jesse; Helen; presiding member; outcome: approved.