| This school year, the BHS Innovation Fund is supporting re-envisioning Legal Studies as Justice in Action, a new two-block senior elective that links English and Social Studies to examine how the law operates in both theory and lived experience. In year one, the Fund’s $50,000 award is underwriting coverage so that English and Social Studies faculty can co-teach – providing daily shared planning time for the teaching team to make this ambitious interdisciplinary course possible. This dedicated capacity allows instructors to develop lessons, align curriculum across disciplines, coordinate community placements for students, and build partnerships with the stakeholders in the justice system – work that is essential but rarely feasible within a traditional school schedule. Following the first year, the Fund will continue its support for the launch of Justice in Action through three consecutive years of summer planning support to refine the curriculum, strengthen community connections, and ensure the course’s long-term sustainability. |
| Dear Friends of the BHS Innovation Fund, Justice in Action (taught by Marcie Miller in Social Studies and Rob Primmer in English) is a full-year, interdisciplinary course cluster in which students enroll in two linked classes and earn two credits, one in English and one in Social Studies. Together, the courses give students a rigorous, real-world understanding of the criminal legal system. Students learn the difference between civil and criminal law, study the full criminal justice process from investigation through trial, sentencing, and what happens after, and complete two major case-study deep dives: the OJ Simpson and Charles Stuart cases. Students read a variety of texts: The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore, and A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith – and extended excerpts from: Justice by Michael Sandel, Jeffrey Toobin’s The Run of His Life, Joe Sharkey’s Deadly Greed, and Amy Banks and Isaac Knapper’s Fighting Time. In addition, students read numerous newspaper articles and essays, watch several documentary films, and examine Boston history, politics, red-lining, bussing, and institutionalized racism to understand law and lived experience.  A defining feature of the course is how often students learn directly from people with lived experience and professional expertise, most recently from Joseph “Joey” Bennett (shown with Marcie). Joey shared that he served 22 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and he told students, “I turned my pain into purpose.” Students responded with thoughtful, mature questions, including whether policing has changed, and Joey offered a nuanced view of progress and accountability. That visit quickly moved from learning to action when students helped support a Holiday Toy Giveaway in Roxbury for children impacted by a parent’s incarceration through a collaboration between YardTime and the Exoneree Network (a program of the New England Innocence Project), and other community partners. Another event students recently attended was with Stacey Borden (shown, center) from New Beginnings re-entry services for formerly incarcerated individuals. The guest speaker series continues to widen students’ lens on how the system functions and where it fails through multiple vantage points. This year’s lineup includes Sean Ellis (shown), Laura Carey, and Jordan Salvatoriello from the New England Innocence Project, Julie Higgins (Assistant District Attorney, Homicide Unit, Suffolk County), and Judge Catherine Ham of Superior Court. On January 9, students also learned from from guest speakers Isaac Knapper and Dr. Amy Banks who co-authored Fighting Time, which tells the true story of two families linked by a murder and a wrongful conviction, and what happens when they eventually come together decades later to confront trauma, accountability, and the long aftermath of one violent moment. On January 13, students met Robert “Bobby” Iacoviello Jr. (shown) from the Transformational Prison Project, which brings restorative justice practices into prison-related contexts and helps communities think beyond punishment toward responsibility, dialogue, and healing. |
 Beginning in Quarter 3, students start their Observation Placements, an ambitious, hands-on component that replaces several days of traditional class each week. Placements are designed to help students see how justice plays out locally and practically, from the inside, alongside the Brookline Police, in court settings such as the Moakley Courthouse with judges and attorneys, and in learning opportunities connected to the New England Innocence Project, probation offices, criminal defense work, and other nonprofit organizations related to the legal system. When asked about her Quarter 3 Observation, Jada (shown above, left) said: “I’m working with the former District Attorney Rachael Rollins. I get to go to court with her, work with her, and get actual hands-on learning about court cases. I might be interested in this as a career in the future. This class gives me the chance to find out if I’m interested in it rather than just learning about it in a textbook.”During remaining class periods, students will participate in the Citizens Police Academy, discussing contemporary issues in policing such as de-escalation, mental health, less-lethal weapons, drug enforcement, and domestic sex trafficking. |
Just as importantly, Observation Hours create real pathways for students to get involved through service, volunteering, and community partnerships that make civic learning tangible. The goal is not only to understand criminal procedure and its flaws, but also to help students find meaningful ways to contribute in our community with empathy and informed action. SAVE THE DATE:May 21 for the first annual Justice Fair, a science-fair-style evening where students will present their findings and experiences to their families, educators, and school administrators, their Observation Placement partners, BHS Innovation Fund families and other community partners.EricaBHS Innovation Fund Program Liaison |
| Visit our website: https://bhsinnnovationfund.orgEmail us: bhsinnovationfund@psbma.org |