The Government of the Student Body decided Wednesday night that raising standards for English teachers was not an issue it could address.

GSB senators failed the bill titled “Fairness and Professionalism in the Classroom,” with a vote of 9-21.

The bill, written by Chris Wisher, TRA, and Steve Erickson, off campus, asked GSB to oppose politicizing classrooms within the English department. Other goals for the department included making grading standards similar to other academic departments, and requiring that English instructors have a master’s degree.

Reasoning behind the bill stems from recent complaints about an English instructor’s syllabus, which implied students were not allowed to inquire about grading or ways to improve their coursework.

Although the resolved clauses about grading and instructor qualifications were struck from the bill, Wisher and Erickson did not gain the support of a senate majority.

“Are we in the business of telling the faculty how to do their jobs now?” asked Travis Parker, off campus. “I think this is well out of our jurisdiction.”

Douglas Miller, LAS, cited and defended one of the examples of an English teacher politicizing her classroom.

On Feb. 25, freshman composition instructors were encouraged to let students attend a teach-in hosted by The September 29th Movement.

“This had nothing to do with politicizing classrooms, but showed the students other methods of persuasion,” Miller said.

Benjamin Studenski, junior in industrial engineering who added his name to the bill, said he felt politicization of classrooms is a problem at ISU.

Studenski said one class concerning perspectives of both race and class analyzed sexism in the movie “Cinderella,” and challenged the morals of Christopher Columbus.

He said these kinds of discussion are unacceptable.

“When they put these views in a class for writing, I have a problem with that,” he said. “Politicizing classrooms is wrong. You don’t teach classes to see things a certain way.”

Defending his contention, Studenski said numerous books have been written about the issue.

But other GSB members challenged the bill, noting that the issue has not been properly researched.

“If you do want to pursue an issue like this, it takes a lot more research,” said Christine Little, disabilities. “I think this bill is uncalled for and draws a lot of conclusions that are unfounded.”

The bill’s creators also sought changes in educational requirements for instructors in the English department, an issue which received the most debate at the meeting.

“Just because someone has a master’s degree doesn’t make them a better teacher,” Miller said. “Mandating master’s degrees is not within our jurisdiction at all. Let the English department do what they see fit.”

Some senate members questioned motives behind this portion of the bill.

“Is this looking out for the best interest of the students, or is it a grudge against a certain [teaching assistant]?” asked Brian Knau, agriculture.

Studenski said the issue embodied the department as a whole.

Marcia Johnson, minority, said a different course of action was necessary for the provision.

“Why just pick on the English department?” she said. “It seems there are personal issues here. If you have a problem, there is an avenue for that grievance.”

Johnson suggested that the bill’s supporters confront the English department rather than GSB.

Studenski argued that English instructors at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) are required to obtain a master’s degree.

“If DMACC can afford that, ISU should as well,” he said.

Mike Poray, GSS, who has taught 400-level courses in economics at ISU without a master’s degree, said a master’s degree does not improve an instructor’s performance.

“A master’s degree does not stamp someone with a seal of approval, saying ‘I am a good teacher.’ I am adamantly opposed to this bill, and that is also the opinion of the majority of the graduate students,” Poray said.

The general consensus of GSB members was complaints about the English department should be handled by the English department.

“Basically, this was taken to the wrong place,” said Jillene Hamill-Wilson, non-traditional.

In other news, GSB:

• heard a report from the student fees committee and announced that a $4.84 increase in student fees was possible for next year.

• reported that it currently has $3,586.72 in the senate discretionary fund.

• heard a presentation from Jenny Barnett of the Student Employment Center concerning a quest to locate jobs for international students who suffer from the currency crisis in Asia.

• tabled the bill “Funding for Friends of Slovakia” until its next meeting.

• split the resolution “Lending More Hands to International Students” into two separate resolutions, passing both unanimously. The bills resolve to help international students locate work to pay tuition.