Florida Schools Must Teach Evolution

Teachers in Florida's public schools must for the first time teach evolution, but they must present it as a "scientific theory" rather than a fact, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. The state's Board of Education approved the new curriculum standards today. The old ones made no mention of evolution. Religious leaders and conservative lawmakers fought for the last-minute amendment to teach it as a theory.

The new language calls evolution the “concept underlying all of biology," which is supported by "multiple forms of scientific evidence.” The chairman ended up casting the deciding 4-3 vote after an hour-long public hearing in which the board listened to advocates for both sides, the Democrat reports. (More Florida stories.)