Texas is currently updating its academic standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), in the area of science. In September 2008, writing committees working for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) proposed revised TEKS that largely eliminated previous language calling on students to examine the “strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories. In the proposed revision, the “strengths and weaknesses” language was retained in a few areas (like high school chemistry), but it was scrapped in the vast majority of subject areas, most notably in high school biology. The clear goal in proposing the removal of the “strengths and weaknesses” language from the TEKS was to shield biological evolution from critical scrutiny by students or teachers.

In October, members of the Texas State Board of Education nominated a review panel of six experts to give critical feedback on the revised TEKS for science. The panel included scientists and scholars with a diversity of views on Darwinian evolution. As a public service, we are posting here all six expert reviews so you can read them for yourself:

• Stephen C. Meyer, Discovery Institute – Download File
• Ralph W. Seelke, University of Wisconsin-Superior – Download File
• Charles Garner, Baylor University – Download File
• David Hillis, University of Texas, Austin – Download File
• Gerald Skoog, Texas Tech University – Download file
• Ronald Wetherington, Southern Methodist University – Download file