SANTA FE, N.M. — Teachers in New Mexico no longer have to teach creationism along with the theory of evolution in their classrooms.

In a 14-1 vote Friday, the board decided against requiring instruction on creationism or other alternative theories about how life forms came to be.

"The action we took clarifies, so there is no equivocation, that the leading theory of how the Earth was created has to do with evolution," board president Flora Sanchez said. "Other ideas may be part of classroom discussion and inquiry, but (the state) does not require their teaching."

Creationism is the belief that people and the Earth were formed by a divine being. The theory of evolution, among other things, holds that man is the descendant of apes and other species.

Prior to the vote, the state education standards included language that spoke of several theories of evolution and required teachers to "present the evidence for and against" evolution.

Interest in the issue was rekindled this summer when the Kansas Board of Education passed new standards playing down the scientific importance of evolution.

And earlier this month, the Kentucky Education Department deleted the word "evolution" from its standards, replacing it with less divisive "change over time."

Ms. Sanchez acknowledged before the vote that "there is a contingent of the public that doesn't like what we're doing. Most of that centers on the idea that this has something to do with religion. This does not."

Critics of the proposal had argued that evolution is a theory that shouldn't be taught as scientific fact.

Board members and science teachers have agreed the change wouldn't drastically alter what was being taught in New Mexico classrooms. But many teachers have said they welcome the clearer standards.

"I don't think there's a whole army out there trying to put creationism into schools," said Bruce Miller, a science teacher at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque. But with these changes, "we might not have to fight that battle again."

WAY TO GO, NEW MEXICO ! MAKES ME PROUD THAT I'M A NEW MEXICAN. ---Jerry Phillips, website editor