The State Board of Education on Thursday rejected efforts to continue to require Texas children to study the "strengths and weaknesses" of scientific theories including evolution. But a narrower challenge to evolutionary theory was approved.

Lawrence Allen Jr., D-Houston, who voted against including the "strengths and weaknesses" language, called for the board to "do better at representing everybody in the process and not just our individual ideologies."

The board has been considering a draft document crafted by a committee of teachers and other education experts who recommended replacing the "strengths and weaknesses" phrase with a requirement to "analyze and evaluate scientific explanations." Some education observers who supported removing the "strengths and weaknesses" phrase from state science standards argued that that language could promote the teaching of creationism alongside evolution.

Thursday's vote was by a committee of the full board. Board members will vote today on the state science standards and could propose more changes. The board will hold a final vote at its March meeting.

Two motions to leave the "strengths and weaknesses" language, or similar phrasing, in place failed by narrow margins Thursday.

Their failure was a defeat for a group of board members who have been pushing to keep the phrase. It has been part of the Texas science curriculum for all public school students since 1988.

However, the board later approved, 9-6, a motion by board Chairman Don McLeroy, R-College Station, to require students to evaluate the "sufficiency or insufficiency" of scientific theories about common ancestry of different species. The prevalent scientific theory explaining the diversity of species is evolution; creationism is the belief that the universe was created by a higher power.

Texas science standards play a central role in determining what material must be covered in textbooks, discussed in classrooms and included on standardized tests.

Board Member Cynthia Dunbar , a Republican from Richmond whose district includes Williamson County and part of Travis County, made the motion at Thursday's board meeting to include the "strengths and weaknesses" phrase.

"I think the safest and best route to go, then, is to keep the exact language as it currently exists, which has been tried and true for two decades," Dunbar said. "It has in no way risen to the level of a government agency of any kind (being involved in) inappropriate religious activity."

That motion failed in a 7-7 vote, with board member Rene Nunez, D-El Paso, absent from the room. Board Member Ken Mercer, a San Antonio Republican whose district includes several Central Texas counties and the rest of Travis County, voted in favor of the motion.

Including the "strengths and weaknesses" language supports "academic freedom" and "freedom of speech," Mercer said. "Teachers should not have the right to say, 'This is a fact. There will be no questions.' "

Dunbar's subsequent motion to require students to evaluate scientific theories "by examining scientific evidence supportive or not supportive of those explanations" was defeated 7-8.

Mavis Knight, D-Dallas, who voted against both of Dunbar's amendments, said the longevity of the "strength and weaknesses" language does not mean that it is appropriate.

"The 'strengths and weaknesses' phrase has taken on a different meaning from what it might have meant perhaps 10 years ago or 20 years ago," she said.

Some board members who supported Dunbar's motions said including such language would protect teachers who think they would get in trouble for discussing questions about evolution. But Knight said those concerns would best be addressed by better training for school officials rather than through curriculum wording.

Several of those who voted against Dunbar's motions said the motions echoed the board's decision last year to reject recommendations from a committee of experts regarding the state language arts standards.

"We appointed individuals, educators — good solid people — to review the (standards) in science. They made a recommendation, and, again, we are taking \u2026 away from what the educators have indicated to us is the best wording" said Bob Craig, R-Lubbock, who also voted against both of Dunbar's motions.

Craig said the requirement to analyze and evaluate scientific explanations "allows free thinking. It puts it in scientific terms."