Texas votes to change science lessons challenging evolution

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Board of Education has preliminarily voted to ease — but not completely eliminate — state high school science curriculum requirements that experts argued cast doubt on the theory of evolution.

The Republican-controlled board on Wednesday modified language that had asked biology students to consider “all sides” of scientific theory. Teachers and academics said that let religious ideology trump science on evolution, and might have left students believing God created life.

But the board opted to keep other lessons on the origin of life and scrutinizing fossil record gaps, which some conservatives say suggests the influence of a higher power.

The board votes again Friday and in April. It could further modify curriculums either time.

The standards govern what’s covered in Texas classrooms, on standardized tests and in textbooks.