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[music] [music] >> Recording in progress. Good evening and welcome to the April 16th, 2026 regular meeting of the Brookline School Committee. First on our agenda is our consent agenda. I'm going to pull item uh 1F
um ahead, which is acceptance of a gift of $2,000 from Chris Dempsey and others for a plaque at Pierce School to honor former staff member Billy Harris. Um I'd actually like to take a roll call on this, and if anybody would like to speak Is there a second? I'll second. Okay.
Suzanne seconds. Um Mariah has her hand up. Mariah? I'll speak, just Um I I would like to say that as a former Pierce parent, I cannot say enough good
things about Billy and the relationship that he fostered with students from every background, from every level of interest. His um leadership and care of the Pierce student community
is something that we should all aspire to to have someone like Billy um in every building, cuz he was just tremendous and tremendous for decades. So, I am very much in favor um of this
recognition and honor for him, and looking forward to voting yes. Thank you, Suzanne. Well, I did have that. My children were at Pierce with Billy. Um anyone who can uh control my son with his buddies out
there in the recess playground, it really deserves all all the accolades he can get. And so, I am delighted to support this uh motion to name the gym after Billy. Um Oh, this is just a gift.
Sorry, I just want to thank accept the gift. >> I want to thank uh Chris Dempsey and friends for um bringing this to us. Uh Bob, how do you vote? I I [clears throat] preface my vote by saying Billy Harris, I was
in the school system while he was in the school system, and I just viewed Billy Harris as this incredibly upbeat legend from the Pierce School. So, I'm very excited that they're naming that gym after him. It's great. Did you vote yes? Oh, yeah. Yes, I vote yes. >> yes. Andy? Yes. Sarah? Yes. Suzanne?
Yes. Mariah? Happily, yes. Carolyn? Yes. And I vote yes, as well. Um Items 1A, C, D, E, F, G, and H, I'll take together. Uh is there a motion?
Sure. Motion to approve by Suzanne. Is there a second? I'll second. Sarah seconds. Um Carolyn, how do you vote? Yes. Mariah? I'm sorry, could you repeat which things you What did you just >> 1A through H. Except for
>> Uh 1A through H except for E, or except for F. >> F. Okay. Um yes. Suzanne? Yes. Sarah? Yes. Andy? Yes. Donna? Yes. Bob? Yes. And I vote yes, as well, and we're deferring 1I. Uh the
superintendent's report. Doctor Thank you. Um I just have a few things to share. We are We're in mid-April. We're looking um forward to school vacation next week, but it's also the beginning of a lot of spring celebrations and it'll be like this all
the way through May and then um culminating at our graduation at the high school in June. So, um it was it was my privilege to be part of the cavalry um the BEF cavalry that showed up at um
the schools to honor award winners. So, the Cavalier award winners are are nominated by anyone and supported by letters from anyone like students, faculty, um parents, community and administration
um for excellence in in their profession and also commitment community. And so, they will be coming back to school committee in June to present. Um so, at the high school it was Carolyn Castellano for music. Yay! [applause]
And uh and so, if you didn't know what happens is um everyone knows except for the person that's getting the award like I think everyone knows and everyone kind of hides. And then um they get invited to a space unwittingly that they're coming into
this space and then everyone comes in and the the it's I imagine it's really overwhelming. See all these people and it doesn't make sense like why are all these people here and then they um make the announcement. So, congratulations to Carolina at the high school. And then
the and then today at FRR it was Jen Nixon. And that was yes, it was very touching. Um at both of them we have students, but also former principals. So, John Dempsey was there along with other people that
she's worked with and it's always the curriculum coordinators and and fellow teachers. It's really exciting and heartwarming lots of fun. Along with BEF I also um went and represented PSB along with BEF at the Newbury
um just to outreach to um community groups that exist in town. So, it was able to do that directly across from the Pierce Pierce on the hill. Um and then also um was able to attend along with um Robin Benoit and Karen
Schmuckler we attended the STS gala in honor of their 25th anniversary in operation. And uh it was a fundraiser and it was just really festive and a great presentation on the STS programming. They will come. Um they will most likely come to do
their full presentation here in the fall um but the MOU will have that on the next agenda. Um it was also great to hear from alum to like where they're at. Um it was really a great um
event that that um celebrated STS, but really celebrated PSB and students that have gone through the programs and and celebrating their success after. So, I really loved that. I wanted to give a big thank you to
Senator Creem who contacted us and said that there were some funds that are available to us that um maybe we could fund and so, just so you know when when they reach out for possible earmarks um it's not to be something that's supposed to be you're not supposed to supplant
anything on the budget. So, it's for projects that um that we want to do, but we're not able one-time things usually and so, what we submitted was um the upgrading to our timeout spaces per state regulation. Um so, the timeout
spaces at at several of our schools and also updating some of the kilns the ventilation for the kilns at also several schools elementary um middle and high school. And then we also asked for funding for
um to support gender neutral bathrooms. So, that's actually part of the plan for some of the schools and so, it supplements what we can do that that are on the list that aren't that we're not able to fund through our regular budget. So, thank you to Senator
Creem for allowing us to do that. I have some other um announcements. It's just to share with everyone. We have a new Runkle School principal that will start with us July 1. Her name is Aris Dunn. She comes to us from New Hampshire
14 years as a principal um K-5 middle school and um she also was the 2020 principal of um of the year for the state of New Hampshire. So, and taught um grades
three through four for four years. So, she'll be starting with us July 1. She's in contact with Donna Finnegan and um and so, hopefully we'll come visit the school so everyone gets to she gets to get familiar with everyone before Donna leaves.
And I also wanted to announce that we have formally completed executed a contract with Robin Benoit for 3 years more starting July 1. So, congratulations to her and congratulations to us.
And um Karen Schmuckler has agreed >> [applause] >> to to stay for multiple years um to to be D um no seriously to that she'll stay with us um for a few more years and start so, we'll execute a contract starting July 1.
In process um are our searches for our HR director and for a deputy superintendent of OAF to replace Susan when she leaves us at the end of this year. So, all good things. I just want to make sure I hit every I have a habit
of writing um on the margins and at an angle which they they can see. So, I um Anyway, yeah, I just just I was at Runkle this morning um with the PTO and um so, I've been sort of making another
round through the schools in the spring a lot easier when there's not big huge snow banks, but anyway. So, I'm so anyway, spring and also just looking forward to some quiet time next year next week working here while everyone else is off.
Thank you. Thank you for those amazing updates and the leadership updates all around and the the great news from the State House as well. Next on our agenda is public comment. Speakers will be called up in the order in which they signed up. All speakers
are limited to 3 minutes. Miss Fitzpatrick who's over there uh will set a timer to help you track your time. Uh we don't respond to public comment just so you know, but it uh but we are we are listening intently to everyone. First up is Dr. Asa Sevellius.
I'm going to say followed by Echo Kaufman. Thank you. Thank you for having me here tonight. I've come My name is Asa Sevellius. I'm the principal of the Roland Hayes School and I've served that community in the public schools of Brookline for 12 years.
I join you here today to comment on the conversation held during the last School Committee meeting of March 26th regarding the still in process civil rights policy. Earlier this week principals sent you sent you all a joint letter stating our preferences and desires around the civil
rights policy and the process to finalize it. This is not that statement. >> [cough and clears throat] >> A proposed civil rights policy was presented at a recent School Committee meeting followed by a set of suggested edits brought forward by a committee member. These edits were framed as an effort to
refine the language to make it less ideological including a stated desire to move away from what was described as DEI ideology. Efforts to replace or lightly reword broadly recognized civil rights language raise serious concerns.
Such attempts risk distorting established meanings in way that are neither constructive nor aligned with the intent of civil rights protections. Additionally, such changes are inherently ideological in that you are attempting to bend language to better
reflect your personal ideology. During the March 26th meeting a direct question was posed about whether there is disagreement with the concepts of diversity, equity or inclusion themselves. That question remains unanswered and its absence continues to cast a shadow over the discussion and
this representative body. The interruption of that line of questioning before a response could be given only adds to the lack of clarity and deepens my concern over what is actually happening here. Trust in these efforts in this body is dissolving in real time.
Questions were also raised about whom this policy is intended to serve. It is unclear whether this reflects an effort to distinguish between the needs of different groups within the community such as staff and students or whether it suggested deeper concern about prioritizing certain groups over others.
Is this line of inquiry raises an important important and a troubling consideration. Is this body seeking to determine whose rights and experiences carry more weight? Particular concern arises from the emphasis placed by members of this committee on gender related provisions
within the proposed policy. Given the broader national focus on issues of gender identity and the literal attacks on queer trans and gender non-conforming peoples, this emphasis is perceived as a signaling of a narrowing of protection for gender non-conforming students and transgender
youth. Any implication that protections could be unevenly applied is deeply troubling especially for students who are already among the most vulnerable. At moments like these clarity of purpose matters. Susan Sontag wrote, "At the center of
our moral life and our moral imagination are the great models of resistance, the great stories of those who have said no." And in that spirit, there is a clear commitment to resist efforts that would diminish the rights or dignity of any students. Instead, the focus remains on meeting the real and
urgent needs of students and families with clarity, compassion, fidelity, and the laws of the Commonwealth. Should a final policy emerge that reflects these concerning shifts, it will be met with principled resistance. That resistance will be grounded in a commitment to students, their well-being, dignity, and lived
experiences, rather than the perspectives of adults whose actions may undermine them. While no system is perfect, introducing ambiguity into civil rights protections risks deepening inequities rather than addressing them. As a leadership body representing all Brookline schools, we share a continued
commitment to treating all students with dignity and respect and for advocating for their rights. This including This includes upholding the well-established frameworks of diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with the widely understood language that supports those principles, regardless of differing viewpoints.
Calls for a more neutral approach to civil rights language prompts a fundamental question for me. Why are members of this School Committee attempting to neuter this policy? The pursuit of justice and equitable outcomes has never been neutral, nor should it be, and it certainly will not
be while I'm on watch. It feels disappointing, to say the least, to now stand in opposition to the body of decision makers that should be a reliable ally for me and my work here with the students and they purport the students that they purport to speak for.
I stand here today as one leader and will name with absolute confidence that at my back are nine other principals. Together, we represent a powerful coalition of the unwilling, those who will stand for and with our students so that they may benefit from a policy that meets the standard of care set forth by the Commonwealth and aligns with our
collective moral compass. The attempts to weaken these efforts, as evidenced by this body, are out of alignment with the people actually doing the work here in the public schools of Brookline. I urge you to keep this in mind as the civil rights policy moves through this committee. I thank you. Thank you. >> [applause]
>> Um next is Echo Coffman, followed by Nicole Khan. >> [applause] >> The moment I walk into school, I remember that I am trans and that I'm surrounded by people who aren't like and who may never understand a person like me.
When I have to wander the halls for 20 minutes to find a place to change a tampon or to use the bathroom. When my health teacher tells me son and daughter together really mean child because I am not a part of that equation. When my Spanish teacher stops class because we
need to talk about my pronouns because they've never been taught before, because I get to be the blueprint, because I'm something new. I'm reminded this school was never made for me. This town was never made for me.
My name is Echo Coffman. My pronouns change, but right now they them. I'm 18-year-old senior at Brookline High School. I'm a child and I'm transgender. But you've heard all this before. Less than a year ago,
I stood before you and told you my story. I told you that my friends and I are being harassed at school. I told you about slurs being yelled across classrooms. I told you that a teacher, your teacher, told me to pretend to have a different sexuality so I could be a part of her
class. I told you that one in five transgender students who attend non-gender affirming schools try to kill themselves. But somehow that didn't get to you. So let me try again.
>> [snorts] >> These are my friends. We are all students at Brookline High. We are all transgender. If you get to make decisions about our livelihood or protections and our well-being, I have a question for you, Jesse Hefter, Carolyn Thall, Donna
Perry. Look us in the eye and tell us who do you want to kill? And before you answer, just remember each one of us is someone's child. Each one of us is someone's best friend. We all have dreams and hopes for
everything we can become. We all have stories left to tell. We all have our own laughs and smiles and tears. Someday, we may be someone's partner or parent or mother. Someday, we may be artists or doctors or
politicians. None of that happens if we die before we get to leave this town. How do you want us to die? Should I pop a bottle of pills and wait for my time to come? Should I hang myself with a jump rope from a school playground? What if I stick my head in the oven and
wait for the fumes to kill me? What if I use my razor to slit my wrists? How long do you think it would take for my blood to be gone? I was suicidal for 6 years. I self-harmed for four. I am now over a year and a half clean
and I really, really want to stay alive. And God, I am lucky to say that. But not everyone will be. So please for me, for my friends, for my community, for all the trans kids
to come, >> [snorts] >> protect our civil rights. Don't let a statistic become our reality. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Next is Nicole Khan, followed by Leslie Thompson.
Nicole's statement will be read by Becca Monner, who's joining us online right now. Yes. Um Good evening, um members of the School Committee, and thank you for allow- allowing me to join remotely and read a statement on behalf of Nicole Khan, who
um was not able to attend. So this is Nicole's statement, which I'm honored to read to you. I'm speaking as a classroom teacher with more than 20 years of experience. I want to address a concern that has be- been framed here
as a matter of, quote, neutral language or light edits, but in practice represents a fundamental shift with real consequences for students. There is a clear and important difference between disrespectful and discriminatory behavior.
Treating them as interchangeable is not neutral. It is a decision that weakens our ability to protect students. Disres- disrespectful behavior is about how someone behaves, tone, defiance, rudeness. It applies broadly. A student
rolling their eyes or refusing to participate or speaking speaking dismissively is being disrespectful. That behavior matters and should be addressed. In contrast, discriminatory behavior is about who is being targeted and why.
It involves identity-based harm, conduct directed at student because of characteristics such as race, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. It is not simply a matter of tone, but of fairness, and access to education. It
is about civil rights. When we collapse these two categories into one, we are not simplifying, we are obscuring. We are equating an eye roll with identity-based harm and thereby minimizing the very real impact that
discrimination has on students' sense of belonging and safety in school, particularly students from our more vulnerable communities. Fighting discrimination is also a legal obligation of our school system. Our schools have long-standing obligations to protect students from
identity-based harm. Naming that clearly is not ideological. It is necessary for us to meet these legal obligations. When we don't name discrimination as the ugly thing that it is, we are leaving students who experience its harm without
clear recognition of what is happening to them. And we are hamstringing the ability of educators and the broader school community to support them. Let's be clear. Anyone who sees discrimination and disrespect interchangeably is essentially denying
that discrimination is a distinct and fundamental problem in America and in our schools. This is a radical position, well outside the mainstream and not aligned with what the vast majority of us here in Brookline value. It is disingenuous to characterize this
radical position as a minor edit. Let's not treat it as such. I can only assume this desire stems from some School Committee members' frustration with an harm as these ideas have been expanded, yet are sometimes used too loosely to
characterize ordinary disagreement. But that frustration should motivate us to have more nuanced discussions about the nature of discrimination and how to combat it, not to discard the entire concept. We can expect respect from everyone, but we also have a responsibility to
recognize discrimination when it occurs and to respond to it with the clarity it requires. That distinction matters and our policies should reflect it. Can you I urge the committee to approve the draft produced by the town's consultant, Rebecca Shuster, that preserves these
protections for students. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Next is Leslie Thompson, followed by Justin Brown. Hi, good evening. My name is Leslie Thompson. My pronouns are she/her. I'm a very proud parent of a BHS student. I'm
also a very active volunteer in the public school system. Tonight, I am here in strong support of adopting the student civil rights policy as proposed. I hope that through its adoption, the district will have a framework, finally, that clearly outlines the protections and rights that
students have and what schools are required to do when those protections are threatened, rather than leaving something open to interpretation in the moment students need it most. The student rights civil student civil rights policy as proposed provides clear
standards for reporting, investigation, and intervention, including in situations that may not have yet met the highest legal threshold, but still affect a student's ability to fully participate in school. That early clarity matters, and I know
this from personal experience. Every day of my junior year in my English honors class, a classmate who sat behind me massaged my neck, shoulders, and chest despite me asking him to stop. I asked [clears throat] him repeatedly.
I asked to move seats. I asked other students to switch seats with me, but it continued. I knew what he was doing to me was wrong, but everyone just dismissed it as boys being boys. My classmates didn't know what to do.
Many of them were afraid of having retaliation against them if they said anything. And my teacher said she could not intervene because it wasn't technically sexual assault. So, nothing changed. Even now, more than 30 years later, I
can still feel his hands on my neck. That impact has never left me. Had a clear civil rights policy like the one you have before you today existed then, one that creates an immediate trusted
path to intervention, I would have not have been left trying to navigate it alone. If I can ask, if your own child were in a situation like I was, or for example, what Echo has described here today, or as she as they mentioned
last year, would you want action or ambiguity? A teacher guided by a strong civil rights policy, or one who leans on a policy with broad references to applicable law and does nothing? I think I know your answer.
And that is why again, the school committee must move forward with adopting the proposed student civil rights policy. Finally, and as Echo mentioned, this is not the first time I have appeared before the school committee, contacted school committee members
directly, or met with district staff regarding student rights issues, including protections against bullying, sexual harassment, or assault, or topics involving LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, and BIPOC students. And frankly, it blows my mind that I am
here again. In the last year alone, there have been numerous occasions where LGBTQ+ services, programming, expression, or celebrations for students, teachers, or staff have been openly targeted by members of this committee.
You can say you aren't biased, but your actions speak volumes. And if it takes people like me, or those in this room, watching online, or even within community to hold you or any future school committee members accountable, we will gladly do it. Thank you.
>> [applause] >> JUSTIN BROWN, FOLLOWED BY CHORA BYER. Good evening, everyone. Uh I'm Justin Brown, a fourth grade teacher from the Lawrence School, currently serving as president of the Brookline Educators Union.
I rise today alongside and in solidarity with others, uh especially students and other PSB staff members, to express [snorts] our alarm and dismay at recent suggested changes from member Jessie Hefter to the proposed student rights civil student civil rights
policy. When I heard these proposed changes, I immediately thought of recent professional learning that I experienced. Our union, the MTA, held its first LGBTQ+ summit at Worcester at a Worcester high school a few weeks ago.
It was great. Uh a queer queer educators and their allies from across the Commonwealth getting together to share experiences, expertise, and joy in a bunch of powerful sessions. The keynote speaker was Kevin Kumashiro, an education researcher and policy expert
who does research on social justice education. His work has led him to articulate four main themes he sees in this approach, and I think it's relevant here to point them out. The description of these themes is from my notes and available media resources.
The first he calls education for the other. This is a recognition that there are many groups that are marginalized, that are failing, that are not thriving, and that our job, our being stakeholders in educational policy, is to reach out and tailor education to them.
The second is education about the other. The recognition that education is teaching stories only partially, that our knowledge is very partial. So, we should expand that and round it out so that it includes a lot more information about other groups.
The third he calls education that is critical of othering and privileging. This demands that we call out the underpinnings, the norms, the narratives, the stories, and the unspoken and often hidden ideologies in our system and challenge them, because
these are what fuel discrimination, inequity, and injustice. The fourth he calls education that changes students and society. This approach elevates the idea that a lot of education encounters significant resistance. We resist learning in these
ways, so that this approach prioritizes the importance of not only addressing ignorance, but of actively addressing this resistance to change. So, back to the proposed changes to the civil rights policy. This These are an active restriction of
rights, a narrowing, a resistance to change at a time when we desperately need an expansion, a broadening, and a widening of scope when it comes to protections. Why? So that our students and our educators have the space, time, and
support to do the important work of public education, making our society a better place where all can thrive and democracy can be can be continually nourished. As stakeholders invested in education policy that changes students and
society, we should reject these proposed edits. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Next, we have Chora, followed by Sunshine Missing. Good evening, everyone. My name is Chora, and I'm a student in this district.
I'm here today not as a political policy expert or a politician, but as a black girl who walks into a predominantly white school every single day and lives the reality that this policy is supposed to protect. I hesitated about speaking tonight at
first because I was appalled that this policy had ever been questioned or tried to be altered, but I cannot say silent stay silent about something that affects students like me every day. You all desperately need to hear what I'm about to say.
I recognize I'm speaking to a room where there are no other black members on the school committee. The lack of diversity on this panel doesn't reflect the range of student experiences in this district, especially the experiences of students of color. That matters,
because decisions about language describing my lived experiences are being made without anyone in this room who has lived it like me. I'm here to bring a perspective that I don't believe has been fully heard or considered in these conversations.
When you talk about removing words like microaggression and bias-based conduct, I need you to understand that those aren't just abstract or political terms to me. They describe what I experience, things that may seem subtle, easy to dismiss,
but are still harmful. For example, it's comments about my hair. It's being mistaken for the only other black student in the room. It's hearing jokes or stereotypes being brushed off and being and her hearing um that they're not a big deal. It's
feeling that I don't have to think twice before I speak because I don't want to be labeled as an angry, aggressive black woman. These microaggressions reinforce stereotypes and make them seem acceptable. When you remove terms that name these
lived experiences, you're not making the policy clearer. You're actually making students like me more invisible. Sugarcoating this does not remove harm. It erases accountability and its history. It sends the message that our
experiences are too uncomfortable or political to be named directly. They are not. My identity is not political, and my lived reality cannot be diminished. A civil rights policy is supposed to protect students, especially those who
are most vulnerable, by naming harm clearly so it can be addressed effectively. Weakening that language doesn't create neutrality. It creates a barrier of silence. Silence does not protect students. It protects the people who make them feel
invisible. I should not have to walk into my school every day questioning whether the experience I live through will ever be seen, named, or taken seriously in the very policies meant to protect students like me. Because when harm has no name, it is
easier to ignore. And that cannot be a standard we accept. Thank you. >> [applause] >> SUNSHINE FOLLOWED BY MAYA. I WANT YOU TO take a moment and think about if you've ever thought you wanted to die.
I know you can't respond to me, so that's all good. Just think about it for a moment. Maybe some of you have. I want you to take a good 5 seconds and think about that feeling. And I know some of you haven't. And I want you to think if you can ever
understand what it's like to be trans right now in Brookline. If you haven't felt that. You know, I saw the way some of you recoiled from Echo while they talked. So, the way you cringed away from them.
You're scared of something. You're either scared for us, you're scared of us. Which one is it? Now, I saw Jesse Hefter proposing that stupid, brutal revision to the civil
rights policy. I saw it. I was watching. If you were scared for us, then maybe you would have given a little more of response than respectfully raised small concerns and tweaks to his idea. Jesse Hefter should have been laughed
out of the room. So much that I can't trust that if I'm not in the room, someone's going to speak for me. I can't trust that. I hate this, and I think I hate you. I hate you
for letting Jesse Hefter get up there and just say that. Have you ever thought about killing yourself? That's all I've got. >> [applause] [applause] >> Maya followed by Lil. Hi, my name's Maya. I'm a BHS senior.
Thank you to everyone who's spoken today. Um a year ago or so ago, I had a conversation with my friend who described their experience being excluded from old friend groups, being called slurs at sports competitions uh after coming out as non-binary. They described feeling worried about getting harassed when they wore certain
clothes. I asked if they were worried about getting harassed at school. And they said that even if it did happen, they were pretty confident that they would be supported and protected if they talked to an adult at school. We have to keep it that way.
Obviously, as you've seen, that's not necessarily true for everyone that they feel that way. As you've heard today, um my trans and queer friends, my black and brown friends, um and all of my female friends can
tell you what harassment feels like. We can't stop that from happening everywhere, but it is your job to stop it from happening in the Brookline schools. We can't do that through broad statements about supporting queer students or about diversity. We have to
have the clear, explicit policy that's in the civil rights policy as proposed. Um so, we all know why we're here today, um most of us who are speaking, um and I just want to for everyone for anyone who has not read the
original um plan and then Jesse Hefter's version, I just wanted to highlight a couple of um differences that I noticed. Um So, what I wrote here was Dr. Hefter, who I uh
proposed the draft, in your attempt to rid the document of specific ideological terms, you have certainly removed all specific terms from the document. Your draft is about half as long as the other drafts at eight pages compared to
the original 14, and is extremely vague and lacking in depth. For example, where the main draft has two clear, detailed pages of sexual harassment policy, including definitions and description of Massachusetts law and mandated reporter policies, Dr. Hefter's
draft has a section titled {quote} sexual misconduct {parentheses} detailed, which contains all of two sentences and four short bullet points. Again, I'm also very worried about the gender identity section,
which contains one sentence in Dr. Hefter Dr. Hefter's proposed policy. Student records and access to facilities shall be managed in accordance with applicable law, ensuring privacy, non-discrimination, and appropriate record-keeping practices. What are the current applicable laws?
What are appropriate record-keeping practices? How will this one sentence help a student who is in trouble as has been described? The main draft's version of the section contains two pages of detailed policy about how schools will ensure privacy and dignity and protection for trans and non-binary
students in accordance with specific Massachusetts laws. Um it's clear, as everyone has stated, that the proposed changes will take civil protect rights protections away, um and not make it any more implementable.
Um I also just wanted to say that last week I celebrated my 18th birthday, and along with as you can see, the majority of the Brookline school community, I look forward in using my vote um I look forward to using my vote in the coming weeks to support candidates who are
strongly and wholeheartedly in support of minority students, especially queer students and bipoc students. Um and yeah, your actions speak louder than your words. Jesse Hefter's um slideshow that went with his changes said he supports diversity, equity, and
inclusion, which he also said in another statement that he did not support diversity, equity, and inclusion. Saying those words mean nothing if they don't have clear, specific, step-by-step policies about how to support students. THANK YOU. UM LIL FOLLOWED BY D. HI, EVERYBODY.
Uh my name is Lil Kuklowitz. I'm a senior at BHS. I'm a leader of the school's queer student program, and I'm the GSA co-president. Um so, it recently came to my attention that there's been controversy over the language in Brookline's civil rights policy, specifically regarding
potentially politically charged rhetoric. I know that Jesse Hefter advocated removing terms such as microaggression and bias-based conduct and some other terms, and that these terms were deemed by some as overly political.
I call this notion into question. If our town considers these terms, which reflect the lived experience of all minority groups, too political to include in our civil rights policy, which aims to protect minority groups from all forms of bias and bigotry,
that's a quote, then something is seriously wrong with our town. I've lived in Brookline for my entire life. I've been in the Brookline public school system ever since kindergarten, and in my history class every year, I learned the importance of protecting
students' civil rights. It saddens me that some people in our community apparently never internalized those lessons, and do not to support this highly inclusive, and may I say really not very divisive, civil rights policy.
A policy that really effectively reflects both the state-mandated Crown Act and federal protections under Title IX and the ADA. Brookline allegedly prides itself on inclusivity, diversity, equity, inclusion, etc.
And yet, we rarely seem to put our money where our mouth is. And here's how I know that that's definitely true. Every day when I'm walking the halls of BHS, I'm hearing people use the R-slur to insult their friends. I see people racially stereotyping others in classes.
I watch people get questioned on the validity of their religious beliefs. I hear people asking their gay friends who is the man and the woman in their relationship. And also, about once a week, I'm getting misgendered in my classes, even though I've been out as trans since I was 12.
So, you know. Perhaps if we had a more comprehensive plan to address these microaggressions in schools like the current draft of the civil rights policy, which has so many examples of what should be done in each specific circumstance, it's really
great. I read the whole thing. Big fan. Um maybe they would be a little bit less common. At the high school, we have many programs that aim to make our school more inclusive. The African-American Latino Scholars Program, the LEAP Advisory, the Queer Student Program, Unified Sports, so many more.
And these programs are great for students. They support us, they give us safe spaces for difficult conversations and moments of joy. And also, they're great for the town, apparently, to check off the DEI box and move on. The fact that I'm here right now trying to justify the importance of preserving
the wording of this policy in its current form is proof that your DI DEI box should definitely remain unchecked. It should remain unchecked until no one feels out of place in this town, until no one walks down the street or into a classroom bracing for the impact of
prejudice, of microaggressions, of bias-based conduct. Please don't politicize my friends' lives, my life, my peers' and my teachers' lives. Do better. Put your money where your mouth is for
our sake. Thank you. Thank you. Our last speaker is D online? Okay. Um Okay. Um Town Clerk Kaufman is not available until 8:00. So, our next item is the
proposed PSB Student Civil Rights Policy first reading. Uh Andy and then Karen, I believe. Uh yeah, thanks, Val. Uh so, yes, as we've all heard, right? This there was a discussion of this policy at the last School Committee meeting. So, uh what we have before us tonight is is
a revised draft that uh Karen Schmuckler will be presenting. So, Karen uh worked on this draft in consultation with Attorney Angela Schmola, who was also present at the Policy Subcommittee meeting earlier this week uh that discussed the draft. Um so, I did want to mention one uh
exchange that took place at that meeting. So, in response to the question uh what kind of language is required here to fulfill our obligations, and the question was with specific reference to the phrase bias-based conduct versus disrespectful behavior.
Um here's what the attorney said. "This policy is not a neutral document, and the state doesn't want it to be a neutral document. The state and federal governments want schools to maintain and implement non-discrimination policies. Non-discrimination, harassment, and bias-based conduct are all terms of art
that are appropriate for a policy. So, if you start from the baseline that it's supposed to be a neutral document, then you're not actually doing what the law requires. You can't cleanse the document of the key terms that were supposed to be enforcing, and failure to enforce has
all sorts of consequences." So, that was um that was uh the meeting. Uh at the end of the meeting uh we voted two to nothing uh to advance this to the School Committee for a first reading. Uh one of our members was absent. So, Karen, now would you like to go ahead and present
the current draft? >> Thank you. Good evening, everybody. Um thank you to everybody who has spoken. Um what I thought I would do tonight, like I did at the Policy Subcommittee and the last time uh we met as a full School Committee, is just do some framing. Um and like Andy, I've tried to
answer um some of the concerns and questions that have been raised. So, one of the one of the areas was why a student civil rights policy. Um this is a very intentional, deliberate choice in terms of wording, um in terms of why
student civil rights versus just a non-discrimination policy. Um and it centers students, which is what this policy is intended to do. And it it frames the rights that students carry with them into the classroom very clearly. Um so, as I said, it reflects
our values, it reflects PSB's broader proactive educational philosophy um affirmatively. Civil rights are affirmative rights, right? We want to proactively provide um what students need to create an equitable environment. Non-discrimination is often framed as a
negative right, right? It focuses on what the district cannot do. So, that was really the intentionality by naming it um a student civil rights policy. Thanks, Betsy. And using the term "at-risk" is very much in line with what um the Department
of Education does at the federal level and what DESE does at the state level. The Office It is called the Office of Civil Rights because it really oversees the broad protection of student civil rights, and DESE does the same thing in using civil rights to cover a broad range of student protections, which is
really what this policy was intended to do as well. Next slide. So, what this policy does is it's an improvement to compliance, as some of the student mentioned. Uh it includes all the new uh regulations that have um come out uh in Massachusetts, including
the CROWN Act, which was in 2022. Um and again, it's affirmatively seeking to create a space and a place that is welcoming with belonging for all students, families, and staff. Um it's also aimed at best practices. One of the things that both
uh when the policy was drafted by the former OSS team uh in consultation with Becky Shuster, as well as um working with our current counsel, all of these people work with our school leaders. Um and so, the policy was really drafted in direct response from
what school leaders were saying they need in terms of clarity and precision and precision uh from the policy. Um so, in terms of why bias-based conduct, why why certain language? Um
one of the things and uh you heard uh Andy uh reflected in terms of what uh council had shared uh in Policy Subcommittee, um language language is necessary to be precise. It's necessary for legal and practical clarity and protection. Um
neutrality in the context of civil rights is not legally or philosophically possible. Um and if our policy is too vague, it fails to provide notice, which is actually what is required by law. So, clarity is the best protection for our district, our teachers, and most
importantly, our students. Next slide. So, just a little bit about our process. Uh so, Policy Subcommittee met last year, and as you can see, there were four three meetings last year, and then the meeting uh that was was on Tuesday.
Um we also had a uh School Committee saw the policy for discussion um on um [clears throat] 3/26, and obviously, we're here again today on 4/16. At the time the policy was initially um drafted for review, it was actually sent
out by the superintendent to all parents and caregivers, and all feedback and input from parents and caregivers were incorporated into the policy, and then it's been legally reviewed by two different counsel, counsel at the time last year, and then Angela Schmola, who
has reviewed it again this year. So, that just kind of describes the the process that this policy has gone through in terms of broad feedback, input, and legal oversight. So, just a reminder, these are the legal frameworks, all of the things we need to be in compliance with, Title VI, Title
IX, Chapter 76, um the CROWN Act, and then it's really consistent with best practices from DESE, from the Massachusetts Attorney General, and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. And so, those are just the state frameworks uh in terms of the legal
frameworks uh that the policy complies with. And then, next slide, Betsy, um it complies with, of course, all of the titles, um which is next slide, Betsy. Thank you. Um our Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504
and the ADA. And then, as we discussed last time, recently uh the Massachusetts Attorney General uh provided guidance to schools around the rise of hate speech and bias, um and really clarified for districts what the expectations were in terms of
what districts needed to do both at the policy level um and at the practice level. And again, schools are required to investigate the bias element of an incident separately from the behavior element. And again, sort of really speaking to needing the legal clarity in
terms of language and terminology. So, that's just a quick summary of all the laws and legal responsibilities. And then, just what are the changes in the current draft? Um Policy Subcommittee met, and members of the Policy Subcommittee made suggestions
for uh some edits. Uh as you as you heard, legal counsel also reviewed it again. So, it retains all required information and sections. Um we added in, and this was the feedback from the School Committee meeting last time, a clear definition
section in the beginning. So, all of all of the um definitions are there. Um many of the procedures um have been moved to a Student Civil Rights Protocol and Procedure Document, which is actually linked in that document that will be available on our
website, um and really, hopefully, makes the practice and process clear for families, students, and the community. Um we consolidated reporting information. It was in multiple places in the policy, so we pulled it all into one section um
and then it was edited. There were a number of repetitions and redundancies which it was edited for and as you can see it's a somewhat restructured document in terms of your definitions are in the beginning um and then sections came after. Um certain sections have been left in their
entirety. The section on um student civil rights around gender identity are exactly the same as they've been from the original policy as well as um the other student civil rights protection sections. So that kind of just frames the
the document and what you're looking at and I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank you uh Superintendent. Yes, thank you. Thank you Karen. Um so I have been spending so much energy in
other parts of that are important to the district part a lot about the finances and I appreciate it that our Deputy Superintendent Karen Shmukler has been representing us in this work on the development of the policy.
I um I just want to make sure that it's understood that that while all other aspects are important and there are a lot of policies that we go through and sometimes we can feel that policies are
academic and we wonder how they apply and the importance of them. But this one is a core policy and I think um as Karen has cited all the reviews, all the work and all the input that has gone into developing the policy, I'd like to read
the first paragraph of the preamble so that you appreciate as you see through the statutes um what it says here. The Public Schools of Brookline is committed to maintaining an educational environment where students
of all backgrounds and experiences are physically and psychologically safe, connected, encouraged, and can flourish. We strive to eliminate all forms of bias and bigotry including discrimination
based on any individual's actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, religion, disability,
age, genetic information, Sorry. Active military veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, homelessness,
ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, natural or protective hairstyle, or any other category protected by state or federal law.
The Public Schools of Brookline is resolved that prejudice and disparate treatment will never impede our learners consistent with our district goals. The statement is comprehensive and it represents everyone in the community.
Our job as educators, our job in the school department is to ensure that every student feels safe and is in an environment that protects their ability to thrive. It is our job to eliminate obstacles
to learning, to eliminate obstacles to access to curriculum. And so that comes in many ways, the obstacles that exist and it's our job to mitigate and eliminate them. So this is a commitment of the district
as captured in the preamble. A commitment to non-discrimination. And it does demand clarity. It's not easy work. It's not easy work. It demands clarity and commitment of our community to do
this. And so I thank everyone who's come. I thank Karen and also the members of the committee who've been part of the development of this. But if this is not an academic policy, it's an important policy. Thank you. Thank you.
Any questions or comments for Karen or for Andy? Donna? I just I wanted a clarification Karen on your slides with the dates listed. Did you mean school committee meetings in in the year 2026 and 20
like instead of 25 and 24? Okay, that's what I thought. That's it for now. Okay, thanks. Carolyn. Yeah, I have a quick question about this policy and then a related question. Um
Section 4.16 is dress codes and that made me wonder are there still dress codes at the school level in handbooks? I mean so outside of this policy
and I understand the purpose of the dress code reference here, but generally speaking have we rid ourselves of dress codes generally? Does anybody know? Like the days where people had to stand
with their arms down to judge the length of a skirt and whatnot. Karen. Yeah, pretty much so. We have. Pretty much so. We do not We do not have those kind of
dress codes in in Brookline. Okay. Thank you. And then my other question is um so I skimmed through the video from the subcommittee meeting the other day.
Um couple things. So I heard Mariah saying the question about keeping non-discrimination policy and it looks like the new proposed is a combination um which I think is helpful.
Mariah's talked about this, I've talked about this. I think for a parent, a student, faculty, um I think discrimination if I was looking in our several
whatever it is, 900-page um policy manual, I think it's helpful to have non-discrimination policy in the title. That would tell me where I would want to look to understand if
somebody has experienced discrimination or has been aggrieved by bias-based conduct. Um so thank you for combining that if we're keeping that change. And I think Karen maybe I misheard that at the meeting
on Tuesday that you said we don't the current policy doesn't own doesn't apply to students, but that I must have misheard that. The current J policy against discrimination.
No, the current J policy The current J policy um applies to students and adults. Um this and we would still need a policy for adults. So this policy is focused on students. Um but we would still need
a policy >> question is sort of where do we go from here? Now we have J. Does this completely replace J? And if so, what happens to protections for staff and other
adults? It it would be in addition to J. So J would need to be in Andy, you can jump in. J would mean would need to be um edited uh in terms of and there's also
an employee policy so there's also policy in the employee section of your policy manual. Um both of which um would both need to be just edited and brought up to date in line with this policy which would stand alongside those two policies.
Okay, so the students if I'm going to call it the student civil rights and non-discrimination policy cuz that's what's on the draft that we have. This is going to be within section J. Is that correct? Correct. Okay. And then I guess
you're saying that we would sort of at least sort of remove would we remove the student It's we're just going to have to align. And then do we have something where all of these similar sort of
language and protections will be will be applied for our adults in the same way? Correct. Correct. So this the statement that Bella read um is actually intentionally includes all of the protections for both students
and adults. So for example, veteran status does not apply to students, but that is that statement we want to be consistent with one statement that can be in all the policies. So yeah, yeah, yeah. The student-centered policy, the employee policy, and the um community
adult policy. Um and so that statement that you see will be the consistent statement. It encompasses all of the any change in regulation, all of the changes in Title IX, the Crown Act are all in that statement. So that'll be consistent throughout the policies.
And so sorry to ask you this. Are you going to Are you and council also going to sort of propose how to elegantly sort of bring
develop this also for adults or is that going to be work that's done with the in the policy subcommittee? So I would imagine that would go through policy subcommittee, but I did look at both of the policy and the personnel section and the policy and J
and it's very much a light um Okay. a light edit in terms of the new statement and just making sure that all of those policies are up to date and that they all align with each other. So I think it's a very um what should be a pretty light quick
piece of work to make sure that um they're all aligned. Okay. All right, thank you. Anyone else? No. Okay, this will be on for second reading and a vote on Oh, sorry. Go
ahead, Donna. First of all, I want to say Karen, thank you so much for all the work you did. It's amazing and I really appreciate the shift in the structure of the document. I think it reads a lot more clearly now. Um and I like the um index in the beginning. I I don't know
if this is too like if if if I'm too in the weeds here, but in the um policy manual index like at the beginning of the document not at the beginning of this at the beginning of the document will it list words like non-discrimination and
um sexual harassment so that if someone's specifically looking for that in our policy manual they know what page to go to. Um I think it should. I think that's a decision the policy subcommittee should make, but I think yeah. Thank you. Yeah, Betsy. I think that's important.
Um I wanted to suggest a few more like tight language tightening things. Um In I wrote in section I don't even know what I wrote. In section three
I said I got to go back and look. Sorry. I think there's some tightening there. I don't know. I might have to email it to you, but in section three I think you can just say discriminatory discriminatory conduct includes um treating students differently because
of their membership or what? What section are you in? Page three. Page three in the fourth bullet. Because like that definition that you go into is the same that you defined as hostile environment. So I was just thinking you could just put hostile environment there.
It's different. Huh? You're saying which is what? She goes in the fourth bullet. >> Yeah. In in Karen's updated draft Yeah. Um she goes into what essentially is a description of a hostile environment. Any action or speech.
Um and then there was a part and I can't remember where it was. >> Why why would you want to make it less specific than it is? I'm I'm saying it's repetitive of where she the definition of is the definition of a hostile environment. So I don't want to make it less
specific. I just was she want It's not actually the same. Okay. Yeah. >> if It's not. Okay. Um There was a part here and I can't remember now I I don't have my notes with me, but there was a part
that mentioned um staff. I'll have to look for it. There was a part that mentioned staff that I that I which confused me because I thought this was a student policy. So it said something about protecting
staff. I'll have to look for that, too. Um and then Donna, there was something I thought about staff which initially confused me. I don't know if it's this thing, but it said something about the obligation of staff as a reporter. No, no. >> might Oh, it wasn't that.
>> that. It it referred to like like the this referred to this policy also protecting staff in some specific place. Um and then in section 3.1 under the microaggressions
I want to talk about potentially rephrasing the asking a student about their disability without their consent. Um I am worried especially in younger grades um and you know as someone who's done a
lot of advocacy in special education, I'm I'm concerned that it might be um um preventing natural curiosity relationship building particularly in the younger grades and I wonder if um
in a way that would lead to avoidance instead of inclusion like in a conversation. So I wonder if it might be helpful to clarify um the language so that it says something like asking a student about their disability in a way that is intrusive or disreg or disregards the student's
privacy rather than um a supportive and respectful interaction. So can I just generally say about um microaggressions cuz this was talked about at policy. The the piece that changes for a
kindergartner versus a staff member or someone who is in 12th grade who's had 10 warnings is what action is taken and how that what what what the corrective action is is different, right? It's it's maybe very
um soft education and examples for a 6-year-old and it's something different for a 13-year-old and something perhaps even more different for a 17-year-old who's had six other incidents. I don't know if you can maybe speak to that and
how it I mean I you know I hear the concern around um I think you're worried about it having a chilling effect on students um at younger younger ages. Um you know, I think the intent of that is as Bella said and we did discuss this at policy
subcommittee. Um develop What context is so important in all of this and so what happens developmentally and adults understanding of children's development informs how they respond. And so it would be in the response that would have would be the chilling effect, right? So
it really is about So children, you know, your kindergartner or your first grade's not looking at looking at this policy. It's about how adults respond to student behavior towards each other based on context understanding
developmental level. Okay. Anyone But if you want to email me the language, I'm happy to to take a look at it if you if it will bring sort of greater clarity cuz I really we want to be precise. We want to be really clear um in terms of um what
this is. It's both helpful for families, students and obviously for staff and our leaders. So I'll take a look at it. >> Um the sorry, there's two You can Do you want to move on to Bob? Okay. So there were just there were two other things that I wanted to bring up. Um one is
again and I think I mentioned this the last time. I um would like to see an explicit mention of the word anti-Semitism. Um I think in the first set of slides on the 26th you talked about taking guidance from on the attorney general. I think there
are other areas in this policy that are very clearly defined and operationalized with examples um and um I think it creates a little bit of a gap specifically with anti-Semitism which all often takes a more subtle or indirect form.
Um So it shows up as long-standing stereotypes or conspiracy theories about hidden power right? And secret influence like Donna and Jesse working together behind the scenes to control school committee.
Um so I'd like to see >> [snorts] >> maybe in that microaggression section something um that says it may also take the form of stereotypes or conspiracy-based beliefs in the case of
anti-Semitism cuz anti-Semitism is a unique type of hatred as an Is it covered under title six? So the reason why certain groups are called out and they're called out in this policy is because they're called out within the legal framework. I think
the the concern is you are calling out sort of one group versus versus others in terms of um you know, there's Islamophobia. There's anti-bias
towards all sorts of different groups of students and so the that is all called out in title six in broad form, but title six intentionally doesn't call out specific group by group by group. But at the same time didn't we
just have a long discussion about wanting more clarity? So I'm not that concerned. >> Well, all I'm saying is if we call we call out one one specific um group versus another. So if we're going to have a statement, we would need it to be a very broad
statement that encapsulates a number of protected classes. I think would be my would be my concern. And so I could certainly ask legal counsel, um but I think you know, again you know, what is there and what isn't there also um is important. So, I think
that would be my that would be my sort of my initial concern. I hear what you're saying, but I also, you know, I think we would need to look at that. >> I think um you if when you're looking at it, I think you should also look at it from
the point of view that anti-Semitism often presents differently than other types of hatred. Um so would you know, that would be a consideration. In terms of clarity, it shows up differently. We want our building leaders to be able to identify that as
well, yeah. We absolutely want our building leaders to be able to identify all of those uh areas including anti-Semitism, absolutely. Donna, do you have another section? No, I think that's it. Okay, now. Thank you. Yep.
Thank you, Bill. >> [clears throat] >> I want to I want to address the students. Um I want to thank you for your courage, for your eloquence,
and for standing up for injustice. Um I want I also want to point out that you are part of a history at Brookline High School of standing up against prejudice, against racism. Um you probably don't know this, but in
1993, I was the head of the high school. You I don't know if you know that, but um in 1993, I accompanied a whole bunch of uh young people from the high school who were part of I think the second gay-straight alliance that was formed in
Massachusetts, and we went to the State House and testified in favor of the first gay and lesbian civil rights student civil rights act. And the [snorts] Brookline High School students were incredibly brilliant and powerful, and they helped make that law
happen. And so, I want I want you to understand that what you're doing standing up for what you believe in um is very important, and it's also part of the history of this community, I hope. I know. And um it should continue. Um I also want to say that
um last at the last School Committee meeting, I referred to the the high school code of conduct, which I think is a a very powerful document protecting uh the whole spectrum of people. Um and I'm happy that that continues to improve
and be reformed. But again, I guess what I want to say to you was thank you for being here. Um thank you for standing up, and I believe you're part of a movement today in our nation and in our world
where we better stand up against the kind of oppression that we face from our national government and too many people who support that um oppression that's articulated and um
has become law in certain ways. And so, um everybody must have the freedom to define themselves and feel safe within that definition. I think that's part of the code of conduct at Brookline High School, by the
way. But to me, that's so incredibly important. Each of us has to be able to say, "This is who I am." Across the entire spectrum of humanness and be safe. And the civil rights
laws that we're talking about right now are designed to do that very thing. And so, I encourage you to keep it up. Um You're impressive. Um some of what you said made me sad and unhappy about the kind of
treatment that you have received. Um but you have to continue to stand up and and uh fight for um your freedom to be safe. Thank you. Carolyn. Thanks. Um
I'm just going to kind of loop back to what Donna was asking about um because I also noticed that the last time you presented, Karen, you had a whole slide about the
um state commission on anti-Semitism findings and recommendations. So, I was also wondering what happened what happened to that? Um like how come that wasn't part of the presentation?
So, the I referenced the the state guidance on discrimination, bias, and hate uh in which um it it's general guidance. They don't call out uh any specific groups in that guidance, but the guidance was really around um schools
needing to be much more proactive around all forms of bias and hate including anti-Semitism, including Islamophobia, including all of the things that um they were seeing coming up through schools. Um so, it wasn't specific that document
is not specific to anti-Semitism. Uh it's specific to bias and hate and what uh districts need to be doing proactively. >> Didn't you have a slide last time specifically talking about the state commission? And
I thought you said that you were going to be looking at how to incorporate those recommendations. So, the slides I presented tonight were the same slides we presented last time to both School Committee and sup. I think you're talking about um I did do a presentation
earlier in the year um where we talked about all of the things and that the DAAC is going to come out with clear guidance for schools. They haven't come out yet based on that commission. So, I did talk about it not >> presentation.
>> presentation. Thank you. >> but yes. >> Got it. But the the AG's guidance on hate and bias in schools very much we looked at that and made sure that the civil rights policy reflected um what that guidance uh really was asking
schools to do in terms of protections. >> No worries. My memory was conflated of two different presentations. Sarah. So, Bob held us, I think, thanking the students, which was really appropriate, and I really appreciated and I also want
to make sure that we thank um Andy. It was really um it was really helpful that when this policy got a little bit stuck, that you showed the leadership to bring it forward. And as you are cycling off the um committee, I want to really like
highlight that leadership that you did. You have a lot of wins over your time in at School Committee, and that was something that was very important for us. And one of the things that I want to make sure that doesn't go when you go is you seem to have an understanding of how policy fits into practice or the relationship between the two. And I was
wondering, I know we don't want to, you know, be on this for too much longer, but in order for a policy like this to have teeth, do you have a little bit of an understanding of that relationship of how policy gets brought forward into practice? Um I think his answer is no.
>> Well, you're really putting me on the spot there. Thank you for the kind words. Um I have to say not really. It it it I mean, what I'm big on is the distinction between policy and procedure. So, um yeah. I mean, this more than most other
policies actually incorporates quite a bit of what would normally be procedure, and that's quite intentional. I guess that's all I would have to say on this. >> would have more teeth because it does go into the procedure. Yes. In fact, we'll review a policy later tonight that has far less procedure in it than than this
one, and there's a reason for that. Why this one is so heavy on procedure. Well, thank you. Um so, I I would like to thank the students and staff who spoke today and who are here supporting those who spoke. Um it's intimidating. It takes bravery to
come and speak to any adults and certainly to a public body on a meeting that's being broadcast live and on YouTube. Um so, thank you for your bravery. Thank you for um
being here and standing up um for yourselves and for those who um maybe feel too vulnerable to be here. Um so, um thank you all, and uh we'll take a 90-second break after Suzanne has a comment. [laughter] So, I would like to thank everyone, too,
and all those who came to speak and all those who are here to support as well. I would hope that uh this will move forward, uh that this is the first reading, and we will move to the second reading >> Second reading in 2 weeks. next meeting. And I would also hope that in terms of teeth, that we provide uh
training or uh review with certainly our building administrators. I know they had a day to support this. Also, our staff and teachers. It's just really important that people understand this policy and can in fact move forward with it. So,
I would hope we do more than just give the policy out. I hope we actually have conversations in our schools. I hope we have conversations here in Central Office. And um that it becomes a really living document for people. It doesn't sit on the shelf. It becomes something that we use
almost daily if it's needed, and that we know where to go, and we know how to use it. So, The procedure documents that Karen has put together are quite impressive. >> Okay, great. So, thank I'm not asking for more work, but I do think it's important. So, thank you, Karen, for that. Um thank you all again, and we'll take a 90-second break and move on to
our next item. >> Um, we are going to come back on item 4 C. Review of the FY26 third quarter financial report. I think Mariah is going to lead us through that report. Let me know when it's when it's time for
me to start, Val. Um you can probably start. >> [music] >> Okay. Um last night [music] at finance we
reviewed the Q3 report in quite a bit of detail. As you all will see in your packets, it's 13 pages long. Um and we spent about [music] half an hour, 40 minutes on it. Quite a bit of time because there's a lot of interesting information, [music]
which I will not entirely recapitulate here. Um but you can read it um if you haven't already. I will just highlight a couple of things. One is great news that um in general the budget is underspent.
It is um one $1,455,285 are unencumbered at this point, which is just over 1% of the operating budget. Um the majority of that um is which is
$815,201 is um positive salary variance. Um which is um helpful in terms of the overall budget. And the balance of that is the non-salary um $640,084. Um
so that is combining as I said it's 1.4 million. So we talked about um about that and some of the details as you'll read through the report. There's a lot of details sort of talking about where that variance comes from. The other thing that I want to highlight um
which I thought was really wonderful was the number of grants that have been um closed. So there were um 26 prior to this there were 26 prior year grants that have been closed. And then
in this quarter there was four more. So a total of 30 grants have been closed in this fiscal year, which is amazing just in terms of like the amount of cleanup and reconciliation and work that that represents um in bringing the budget um
and all of the different funds into really tight management. So that was really wonderful to hear about. Um and then the last thing that I will highlight is um all of the special revenue funds that were presented and there's a new a new structure for those.
Those start on page I think it's page nine. And so at our prior Q2 discussion we talked about breaking out salary expense and non-salary expense instead of just having them all combined. And um not only did Susan and team break out
those, but they also added in the proportionate share aspect, which applies to some of the grants. So we've gotten much greater detail into the special revenue funds as well. Um so that's the the great work that we got to see. The budget is tracking um
slightly underspent and um lots of detail in the special revenue funds, grants being closed. It's all great news. And that's where I'll conclude unless anyone who was there yesterday wants to add anything that I might have forgotten. Susan wants to add anything or anyone else. Or if anyone has any
questions. Any questions for Mariah or Susan? I think you got the highlights. Thank you. Thanks. Seeing no questions, you did a great job and thank you for all the great work, Susan and team and Mariah. Um Mariah, we did not get to thank you
last night um because it was cut short, but thank you for your long tenure serving as chair of the finance subcommittee. Um we bow down to you and I really have no idea how you're going to be replaced. So don't move and don't go far far away or
change your phone number. >> [laughter] >> If I I also I this was a really really great report and um we've come a long way. So thank you, Mariah. Thank you, Susan for this. And so when you say there's 1.4
million like under like we're under spent, but I just want to I would just want to make sure everyone understands that it's through very tight management, but also some of our lines are just are because of tight management, they're lower than than um they would have been
in the past. Um a couple of things have broken our way. And um but so anyway, we'd like to take advantage of all the breaks that come our way. And so we there so it's better than than in prior years, but honestly, the account management um right now is just really
strong. So I feel very positive about the work of the team and I know that um Mariah, you've been big part of that. And Susan, um you're you're finishing up year three. So there was just a lot to um
just to to revise and oversee and reorganize and fix. And I I feel very good. I'm really sad that both of you won't be here um come after July. Um but I'm so grateful to the both of you.
There was a lot to um overcome. And we wouldn't have done it wouldn't have been able to without the both of you. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, can I just Go ahead, Susan. You know, I just want to say my thanks as well, but also I know that you've put a lot of things in
place. So I your shoes will be impossible to fill, but we hopefully will carry on with what you've set up for us. And so I really do appreciate that you've you've looked at the whole system and line by line and This is just a warm-up for you and Andy for next meeting.
>> Yeah, we're just practicing. >> [laughter] >> Don't get ahead of yourselves. We still have another meeting to go. >> Okay, I'll wait then. Okay, thank you. >> We have enough material. Okay, great. >> [laughter] >> Um number 4D, Mariah, I think this is also you, discussion of the process. Because we don't because the rest of us
are incompetent and don't know. So um please >> I just wanted I wanted to flag for people that um we had set up a process for the accounts payable warrants. Suzanne, you sort of teed me up for talking about processes,
so thank you for that. Um we've set up a process so that um every week um I or right now Jesse is my backup signs the accounts payable warrant. However, with me stepping off the committee um we will need um another
person to step up to share that responsibility. So we don't have to do this now, but I just wanted to um talk about it publicly and people can um reach out and I can just tell you a little bit about um how it works and what you do.
But we don't have to do it at the meeting. Thank you. Yep. Um so next is the 26 27 superintendent evaluation process and timeline. There's a memo in your packet. I won't go through all of it, but for those of you
who haven't been through um a superintendent evaluation cycle with us, this sort of lays out how we do that. It begins um with the self-assessment from the superintendent who then identifies goals that um
are essentially laid out by DESE and and select some of the the um DESE goals to focus on in that particular year. The superintendent will bring those to us at our first meeting in June, I believe it is. Um June 4th. And
we will discuss that with the superintendent, add anything that um we might want to see and discuss and have a conversation about that. Um and yeah, so that's the goal setting and
plan development. And then um when we evaluate, so later in that that year when we evaluate, we are required to use the DESE forms and rubrics um which I believe you've also seen and those have been those have sent out. So
any questions on how that process works? Okay. Great. We are moving right through this. Carolyn just raised her hand. Oh, Carolyn. Thanks. I was late to my hand there. Um so I feel like
last year or whatever was the first year that I did this, I think was the first year maybe that Linus was being evaluated. Or no, I'm just remembering seeing this. That there was like an interim. So are
you saying that in June Bella is going to present her goals? And then when is the evaluation? And and is there an interim evaluation even though it's not based on the DESE goals just because
otherwise a long time passes? Um no, so first year superintendents in any district regardless of their tenure um are are not evaluated. So and of course we had hired Superintendent Wong as an interim with
no expectation of doing an evaluation, but regardless in the first year of a superintendency, uh that superintendent is not evaluated. So um they're getting their their feet wet, getting to understand the district and the community and the schools and the
leaders and the structures. Uh and then come at the end of that first year with um goals for the for the coming year and we begin Susan, remind me when we begin. Is it the spring when we begin our forms completing our forms? Yes, I mean some
we have in the past uh had like a mid midyear check-in. Not not an evaluation, but just a check-in to see how it's going and see if they want to be I think that must be what I'm remembering. Yeah, so we so we did I don't we didn't do a written, but we had a check-in to see how the goals were going, see if we
need to make any adjustments to them. Um just an update. And then we did the we do the formal where each one of us does our own evaluation. We do that springish, March, April, Aprilish, April, May, something. So I'm sorry. I don't have the memo in front of me
because of where I am. Um so is that part is a is a midyear part of our plan or is it basically two years before it's two years before the formal evaluation.
And is there a plan for any kind of interim check-in? And I don't mean interim superintendent, I mean interim time-wise. Yeah, so um there can always be put on the agenda in December sometime uh a check-in. It's just a a public discussion where the
superintendent can talk about how they're doing with their goals and we can ask any questions. I'm I'm happy to give a summary at the end of the year and probably makes sense to do that before presenting the goals also um and then more recently when I was in Natick, I didn't have an evaluation formally at the end of the
year. So that it kind of is yeah, but I'm I'm happy to give a summary. Any other questions or comments? Okay. Um moving to our first school committee action uh to review and approve a request to
name the Pierce School gymnasium for former staff member Billy Hayes. I move that we uh approve that request. Second. Second. Bob seconds. Bob, how do you vote? Can I just clarify it's Billy Harris, not Hayes. Harris, sorry. Harris. Yeah, that's okay. Um >> [laughter] >> Bob Weintraub, how do you vote?
I vote yes. Andy? Yes. Sarah? Yes. Susan? Yes. Mariah? A resounding yes. Carolyn? Yes. And I vote yes as well. Um thank you again for all the folks who
um supported and um provided the funding for this. Um moving on to 5B, it is review and approval of a request to name the Lawrence School Health Center uh health clinic for former school nurse Karen Miller. We have some folks.
Would you like to speak on this one? Trisha? Hi, I'm Vanessa Bello. I'm the um principal of the Lawrence School. Trisha Lehane, coordinator of school health. And um you have our statement um requesting that we name the Lawrence
School Health Clinic for Nurse Miller who was when I entered three years ago by far the longest-standing member of the Brookline Public Schools Public Schools of Brookline. And um as any of you know who spend time in
school, a school nurse is at the heart of our buildings. They do so much important work. And I had the privilege and honor to get to know Nurse Miller and I also have the privilege to work with one of her children, Dr. Dominique Ferdinand, who was adopted. I've gotten
to know Jed Miller during my time here. Her Her legacy in this district certainly will go on long, long, long into the future and I would urge you and ask you to honor her long-time service to this district
by naming our clinic the Nurse Miller Clinic. Not much else to say about that except that Karen was the nurse in Brookline for 40 years. Most of those at the Lawrence Clinic, but she in the early days traveled from school to school
administering medication from one school to another. And she was someone who loved her job. And when you love your job, people know it and you're good at it. She made children feel valued and cared
for long before we had the expression of knowing of an adult in the school to go to. Karen was that person. Clinically so smart, so authentic and caring, a little bit of a hippie soul,
and a lot of fun, and she is greatly missed. Yep, I would say that that last year as we wrote Dr. Ferdinand helped me write our request. She was gravely ill with cancer and she
literally stayed till the very end with us. That was her dedication to this district and we will honor her by doing this for her and her family and her legacy. So, thank you. >> Thank you. So, following those testimonials, I move to name the Lawrence School Oh, Mariah's hand is
raised. Sorry, Mariah. Go ahead. Thank you. I just wanted to say that Nurse Miller was the nurse when I was at Lawrence in kindergarten through eighth grade. Just to sort of add one more voice to the testimonial
from the student perspective. And so, that was many years ago. Um I won't say exactly how many, but more than 30. Um and and just to say that like to to come back to Lawrence these recent years
and have been able to see her again and and just see like that sort of legacy of dedication and presence and steadfastness. I just would I completely endorse everything that Principal Balelo said about Nurse Miller and all of the um impact that she had on the Lawrence
community over decades. Thank you. Thanks. Mariah, are you moving to name the clinic after Karen, though? Oh, thank you. It would be my honor to move to make that motion. Fabulous. I will second that motion. Um Mariah, how do you vote? A second resounding yes. Carolyn?
Yes. Suzanne? >> Yes. Sarah? Yes. Andy? Yes. Donna? >> Yes. Bob? Yes, and Karen for many, many years was my backyard neighbor. And incredible person. Yes. And I vote yes as well.
Um thank you both. Uh next we have our possible vote to endorse approval of an operating override on the ballot of the May 5th, 2026 town election and at the annual town meeting beginning May 26th, 2026. Um I make a motion that we endorse
approval of an operating override on the ballot for May 5th and at town meeting beginning May 26th, 2026. Is there a second? I'll second. Uh Suzanne seconds. Is there any discussion? Carolyn, how do you vote?
Wait, can I can I say something before we vote? >> Oh, yeah, sorry. I didn't see your hand. Sorry, I couldn't find the I lost the the icons. Um I just wanted to say that I'm glad we're doing this. I think that it's really important to send a strong message of support and um I'm really in favor of this vote being something we
can take. Thank you. Agree wholeheartedly. Mariah, how do you vote? I vote a third resounding yes. Carolyn? Is she there? I'm here. Yeah. Okay. Uh Carolyn votes yes. Suzanne? Yes. Sarah? Yes. Andy?
Yes. >> Donna? >> Yes. Bob? An existential yes. And I vote yes as well. Um Next we have proposed revisions to the instructional materials work with policies, second reading and possible vote. Is this you, Andy, or is this
Robin? Um I can just say a few words. So, following the first reading at our last meeting, uh Robin and I worked together on some I think pretty minor revisions uh resulting from comments made at the meeting. So, those are highlighted in red on the version you have in front of you.
Um I'll quickly point them out. Uh in the first paragraph, we added a sentence um you know, in talking about um uh constant adaptation and development of the curriculum, uh we added a sentence saying these efforts will be aligned with state curriculum frameworks
and informed by research-based practices. Um again, a couple of places instead of saying develop, the superintendent will develop procedures, we have established procedures since there currently are some procedures, they're just quite out of date. Um
and then in the first bullet point, um this is in order to future-proof the policy. In addition to listing a bunch of protected classes, we also say or any other category protected by state or federal law. Um and finally, uh we kind of broke out
a final sentence at the very end of the policy, which now reads procedures for responding to community inquiries and requests regarding instructional materials will be developed and made accessible to the public. So, we hope that that goes some way toward addressing some of the issues
that were raised during the discussion. Thank you. Any questions? Uh Suzanne? Yeah, so thank you for this, Andy. I'm just wondering if we can make that last sentence its own paragraph. Um because it's it's not about adopting a or or selecting instructional materials,
it's about inquiries on materials already there. So, I just thinking maybe its own its own little paragraph, one sentence paragraph. Um I would have no problem with that. Robin? Yep. Thanks.
Any others? Okay, seeing none. Is there >> Sorry, I didn't have a copy of this, so can I just take a picture? Sorry. Go ahead. Uh what are we doing now? Are we just discussing the policy? >> a vote. Oh, okay. So, I need a minute
then. Yeah. Who? Do we have to move it or no? Um We we do have to move it. Do you want to move it with your change and then we can have further discussion? Sure, I'll move it. Oh, maybe Andy should move it and I'll second it. You want to move it, Andy, or no? Um I'm happy to move it with the change that Suzanne just just
recommended. I'll second it. Okay, now we'll have further discussion. Okay, thank you. But I'll take that. Okay. Any other? I see no hands up. Okay. Um there's been a motion and a second to
adopt. Um Carolyn, how do you vote? Yes. Uh Mariah? Yes. Suzanne? Yes. Sarah? Yes. >> Andy? Yes. Donna? Yes. Bob? Yes. And I vote yes as well.
Um next on our agenda is 5E release of CIP funds for Lincoln School ground improvement. I don't think we got to this last night, so No, we did. We did? Okay. >> Yeah, we got to that. Are you able to lead us through this? Yeah, there's there's no vote. This is informational.
So, we discussed this last um last night at finance. If you all recall, there were um funds set aside by the town for the um Lincoln playground um preliminary work for FY26, the
current year that were set aside in case PSB needed extra funds. PSB does not need those funds. However, they went they were placed in a town reserve fund and the town needs them for other purposes. So, um there is no vote that we need to take
because we weren't necessarily in control of those funds, but um just to be clear for sort of public record, um PSB is not using those funds. The town is using them for other reserve purposes, I believe, relating to some of the snow expenses that were incurred
this year and the Lincoln playground has has just basically been deferred by 1 year. So, those funds are in place in the FY27 budget with the actual playground renovation to occur in '28 and those funds are in the budget for '27 and then in '28.
Thank you. Yep. Anything else on that? Okay. Um next 5F review and approval of a request from the Runkle School PTO to serve alcohol on May 8th, 2026 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the Runkle School
multi-purpose room. Uh no students will be present. Uh I move for approval of their request. Is there a second? I'll second. Sarah seconds it. Any discussion? Bob, how do you vote? I vote yes. Donna? Yes. Andy? Yes. Sarah? Yes. Suzanne? Yes. Mariah? Yes.
Carolyn? Yes. And I vote yes as well. Um next we have our subcommittee and liaison reports. Are there any reports that people would like to make. Suzanne? Well, government relations did meet and
I believe we were looking at our ward articles and I believe we're going to bring some forward next meeting. April 30th. So, that's that. And I'll just say negotiations met and um the best way to know about that is to
just watch the recording and we are moving along at a regular pace. Thank you. Any other subcommittees that we haven't heard from? I have one more quick report. Um
in addition to the things we've discussed tonight, we also last night um reviewed the um deferred maintenance projects that will be done for this upcoming summer. So, there's work that's going to be done at Hayes, at Lawrence,
at BHS and at the Lynch building where um BEEP is. And it's really exciting to hear some of the projects um at Hayes, the the building has not had any sort of um significant refresh for I
believe Charlie told us about 15 years. So, this will be a lot of painting, bathroom refresh, um flooring. Similarly for Lawrence, um there will be quite a bit of work done again, a lot of refresh. Um those two projects I believe are
about 150, 180,000 each. Um there's just under a million to be done at the high school. A lot of flooring, a lot of painting of all of the areas of the building that were not covered um during the renovation. So, the prior STEM wing
had been um renovated to turn it into not STEM and of course there was the new STEM, but the middle of the building was not touched and so all of that will be done as well as the pavilion level of the Tappan Street gym. Um the flooring of which is crumbling and they're going
to be completely resurfacing that. And then Lynch um has not been done, I can't remember what Charlie told us, a long time and they um the roof of Lynch is scheduled to be replaced this summer and so they are taking advantage of it to
basically clear out the entire building and they will be doing a tremendous amount of again, just floor fixing, painting, getting the building entirely spiffed up while the roof is redone and reinsulated. So, there is about 1.7
million dollars worth of deferred maintenance that will be put into the buildings um this summer that's planned and it's a tremendous amount of um work. Hopefully they'll make it all the way through, but if not, some of the projects will be done in the future, but that is that's the plan at this point.
That's the one thing that we hadn't talked about yet and I think it's important for the committee to hear. Thank you. I just remember hearing hundreds and hundreds of thousands of square feet and it was like very impressive. >> How many hundreds of thousands of square feet? >> 300,000 square feet of flooring. Yep, at the high school alone. It's quite a bit.
But also that they had figured out a process for it to cost less by just taking off the top layer. So, you know, was it it's always good to just hear all the details. Any other subcommittees? >> When we get to liaisons, I'll Go ahead. Was this We're at it. So, at 4:00 today,
there was a tour of the Pier Pier School and as you can all see, um the framing is up. You can see where the windows will be in the different rooms. Um it's just so amazing to stand in the building and look out over the neighborhood. Um and it was a great opportunity to be
able to talk with architects a little bit for me to have a more of an understanding of what's kind of standard that people choose to do for schools and meet some of the people on the committees to hear from them what was important to them in the decisions that were happening. So, um I was a it was
nice to to see the beginnings of the Pier School. Fantastic. Any other liaisons subcommittees? Okay, any new business? Uh yes. Um I sent a draft to MOU to you to send to
the school committee, but you may not have seen it. It's okay. All right. So, in the expenditures and revenue study committee final report, in the executive summary, they made a recommendation for an MOU. So, there was existing MOU that um was executed by the
town administrator, myself and all the have been addressed except one part on Munis that we um that we're engaging in and hopefully we'll get started on um this spring. And um but they
recommended another MOU with specific points. So, um a maybe it was a two meetings ago, was agreed that Val Mariah and Carolyn would um review a draft that town administrator, myself
had created and it was it was time sensitive because it needed to get in front of the select board before they before the March 31st deadline. So, I checked in um with the town administrator and so he said that they didn't make
um they didn't they didn't make really edits, um but they supported the draft in concept and so I sent it to Betsy. It was it's my um over lack I should have sent it to you earlier. But anyway, you look at it and then maybe on
4:30 it's something that it'll be ready for the committee to vote. Great. Okay. So, it's the MOU that was recommended in the expenditures and revenue final report. Which I think is great and important um for the override and for confidence in
um the town and it's great to see that that is done and ready for a vote at the next meeting. Um so, we are off on our timing with the town clerk. So, look in in your email, we'll send something, Betsy will send something to anybody who signed up.
Um do you want to quickly look at the slides of the winners? I do have the slides >> have the slides. Okay. So, I was going to I thought we'd send it by like a video with Ben tomorrow, but okay. >> Ben had an election day training tonight from 6:00 to 8:00. So, obviously still tied up with that, but I don't think he would mind if we looked at the slides,
which I think I have here. >> Great. Um just to see all the finalists. Maybe Val, you can Oh, great. Go through. You can Sure. So, there were 171 submissions and 15 finalists in the
I voted sticker contest for 2026. K to 2 finalists, Axel K, Sumi, Sonya and Evelina. These are great. The third to fourth grade finalists, Romi, Noam, Shira and and Mila or Myla. Um
those are also amazing. 5th to 8th grade, these are fantastic as well. I like the turtle very much. Um do we have high school? Oh, [cough and clears throat] winning designs. Alexa Alcantar, second grade. That is beautiful.
And next we have Nova Chan, third grade. Yay! And then Amelia Fernandez, sixth grade. >> [applause] >> All right. Um that's a fantastic photo of Ben with
all of the finalists and the winners. Thank you so much to our students who all participated in this. I I look forward to seeing these every year. I try to convince them to give me one of each when I vote and um a pro tip, if you would like to get one of each, try to go to early voting when they still
have a lot of them and you can sometimes get away with getting all three. Um so again, thank you to our town clerk and to our students for I also So, I want to thank um our town clerk for bringing the project forward and also all the teachers in the district that um
helped organize and get and the student submissions. But and I he's going to be disappointed he didn't get to do He was excited. It's okay. Yeah. We tell him we went through his slides. Um no other new business. We do not need an executive session tonight. So, um we
are adjourned. Have a good evening, everyone. Thank you.