State education leaders forged a compromise on the teaching of evolution Friday.
The State Board of Education dropped a 20-year-old requirement that both "strengths and weaknesses" of all scientific theories be taught.
Critics say the requirement has been used to undermine the theory of evolution in favor of religious teachings.
The board's 13-2 vote also means students in public school will be encouraged to scrutinize "all sides" of scientific theories. That left some of the pro-evolution crowd upset.
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One of the nation's leading critics of evolution, the Seattle-based Discovery Institute, called the vote a major victory.
The new standards will be in place for the next decade. They govern what teachers are required to cover in the classroom, topics students are tested on and material published in textbooks.
As one of the largest textbook buyers in the nation, Texas has significant influence over the content of books marketed across the country.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
