AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- The Texas Board of Education convened a public hearing Wednesday on proposed new standards for the teaching of science in Texas classrooms.
The issue receiving the most attention is whether the state will continue to require teachers and textbooks to cover both the strengths and weaknesses of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, The Dallas Morning News reports.
Curriculum review committees composed of science teachers and academics have recommended Texas scrap its long-standing requirement for looking at both sides of all scientific theories.
The newspaper says the panel that drafted standards for biology has proposed additional language that would keep supernatural and religion-based theories out of those classes.
A preliminary vote on the standards, which will remain in place for a decade, is scheduled for Thursday.
