By: Maximillian Boudreaux

A new bill with a last-minute amendment prohibits teachers from discussing controversial topics such as racism, sexism, politics and other sensitive subjects. This new bill is being ushered into Arizona by the House of Representatives, according to AZ Central.

Republican state Rep. Michelle Udall, who introduced the amendment Wednesday, said the newly amended bill is intended to ensure students are not taught that their race, ethnicity or sex determines their character.

The Unbiased Teaching Act would ban charter schools and state agencies from teaching controversial issues in the school system unless teachers give equal weight to other divisive topics. Teachers who violate this new bill be fined $5,000. The bill is set to go to the state Senate next.

RELATED: Texas bill bans schools from requiring lessons on Critical Race Theory

The new bill is comparable to other legislation being suggested nationwide in an effort to ban critical race theory from classrooms. Critical race theory is the attempt to illustrate how historical inequities and racism continue to mold public policy and social conditions today.

Udall rejected arguments that the bills seek to prohibit conversations on racism.

“We cannot allow children in our public schools to be taught that their skin color or ethnicity or sex somehow determines their character or actions. No forms of racism should be allowed to enter our classrooms,” Udall said. “Biased teaching needs to be stopped.”

Chris Kotterman, from the Arizona School Board Association, was against the bill. He argued biased teaching is not happening in Arizona schools. He also said the bill’s language is too vague and could create continuous arguments over what is appropriate to teach and what is not appropriate.

“The foundational argument is that there is some movement that teaches students, white students specifically, that they need to feel bad about the past sins of the country. That’s trash. There’s no one with any creditability that’s teaching that to students,” Kotterman said.

The bill was voted against by House Democrats. They felt it was unconstitutional and similar to a 2010 law that banned Mexican American studies, which was later taken down in court.