BESE Approves New Biology Textbooks

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — New high school biology textbooks will be available to public school districts after getting approval from the state education board.

Backing from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education came Thursday despite complaints that the books teach evolution too matter-of-factly.

It's the first time new books for biology and environmental science classes have been approved since 2002. BESE approval, which came in an 8-2 vote, doesn't mean immediate distribution of new textbooks. Local school districts decide when and how to purchase books.

Opponents of the books say the texts fail to explain scientific disagreements over evolution and teach evolution without encouraging criticism or debate.

Supporters of the new books claimed critics were trying to force religious issues into science classrooms.