Controversy and debate can play a part in a day’s work for students and teachers.

Mass communication senior Janera Fedrick can relate. She never thought a simple class assignment would spark so much of it.

When Fedrick was given an assignment in her letter and type design course last October to compose a two-page graphic composition on an experience in her life, she chose to share with her classmates her battle with coming out as a bi-sexual.

Fedrick said she was compelled to tell her story because she felt people should be made uncomfortable at times with certain topics, mainly because they are part of everyday life.

She said these topics should be discussed as long as they are relevant to an assignment.

Melvin Carver, professor and art department chair, gave Fedrick’s class the assignment and said he originally felt uncomfortable with Fedrick’s topic, but eventually had to adjust to her story.

“I will admit that at first, I was a little uneasy with her topic,” said Carver. “But that was a personal adjustment that I had to make on my part.”

When Carver assigned the papers, topics were not specified.

When Fedrick turned in her rough draft, Carver said he regarded it as well-written but still advised her to consider the nature of her topic because classmates may not know how to handle it.

“Objective opinions come with the territory,” Fedrick said.

“I didn’t think my story is explicit in any way to warrant it.”

Carver said his reasoning behind all of this was to protect Fedrick’s best interests; he said he also was considering the comments students might make.

“If I can soften the blow for a student, through my experience, then I will do it,” Carver said.

So the question is, should a student’s grade be under radar because their lifestyle or personal beliefs are evident in classwork and in the classroom setting?

And how should teachers decide whether a student’s work should be censoredwhen it comes to personal beliefs causing uneasiness in their classroom?

Many professors, like Carver, express their concern for a student’s well-being, not to censor them but to pinpoint an area in a student’s work that may expose the student to ridicule.

“I try to approach each student and their situation objectively,” said Wendy Rountree, assistant professor of English.

Rountree said that when dealing with her students’ work she focuses mainly on professionalism and whether it meets the criteria stated in her rubric.

Rountree also said that she does try to pinpoint content in her student’s work by scheduling individual student conferences. Then she can advise the student as to whether it would be in his or her best interest to speak on a certain matter.

“I do sometimes feel very protective,” Rountree said.

“But ultimately I leave those choices up to the student.”

What happens if the student’s beliefs clash with another student’s in the classroom?

Some professors, such as Michael Rectenwald, assistant professor of English, say that “everything is on the table,” with discussions ranging from sexuality and abortion to religion and politics.

“I teach these controversies as fields in which students can practice their rhetoric skills,” said Rectenwald.

Rectenwald said he does this to help students become more critical at debating their points.

Rectenwald also said that during his classroom discussions he demands from each student respect and for each person to consider others’ points of view.

“Every conversation must have groundwork qualities in which to start and end effectively,” he said.

Overall, students and teachers agree that in order for assignments to be done correctly, teachers must be clear about what they are looking for and not base a grade on content alone.

“You just have to take a deep breath,” said assistant professor of English Karen Keaton-Jackson about dealing with controversial issues in the classroom.