The US State of Georgia is considering the deletion of the word 'evolution' from its science curriculum.
A new curriculum proposed for high school teachers avoids any mention of the word
"evolution," described by the state school superintendent Kathy Cox as "a buzzword that causes a lot negative reactions."
The plan also omits topics such as Charles Darwin's life, fossil evidence and the emergence of single-celled microorganisms, which means Georgia teachers would no longer be required to devote much time and effort to teaching evolution.
"This is a real infringement on the freedom of teaching, and it has serious implications," said David Bechler, who is head of the biology department of Valdosta University.
Cox said the curriculum changes were aimed to take pressure off teachers "on the front lines" in Georgia classrooms.
A handful of US states avoid using the word "evolution" in teaching plans, replacing it with euphemisms like "biological adaptation" or "change over time." Georgia, however, would be the first state to remove the word "evolution" from teaching plans after including it for years, according to the National Center for Science Education, a California organization that tracks anti-evolutionary teaching.