VOTERS have ejected almost the entire school board that put a form of creationism on the curriculum and caused a court battle that divided America. But the electorate’s verdict in Pennsylvania was returned just as a school board in Kansas voted to introduce criticism of evolution into science lessons.

In both cases the boards were inspired by the “intelligent design” movement, which argues that life on earth is so complex that it reveals the work of a guiding hand.

Intelligent design has been seen as a Trojan Horse for the teaching of creationism in science classes. Supporters claim the endorsement of President Bush, who said: “I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought.”

But eight Republicans on the Dover School Board, which had obliged teachers to read a statement in class explaining intelligent design alongside evolution, were voted out in favour of eight Democrats in one of many local ballots held across the United States on Tuesday.

The Dover case led to a six-week federal court trial that ended last week, brought by parents who claimed that the intelligent design statement violated the constitutional separation of Church and State. A verdict is expected by early January.

In Kansas, creationism was put on the curriculum in 1999 but was removed two years later when a more moderate school board was elected. With conservatives back in the majority, it voted six to four in favour of teaching criticism of evolution. Teachers must point out evidence challenging the idea that all animals share a common ancestry. The definition of science has been changed by the removal of wording referring to the discipline as “ looking for natural explanations for what we observe”.

John Calvert, of the Intelligent Design Network, said: “This is on the cutting edge of science education. It is opening up the minds of students, the minds of teachers, the minds of the public, and developing a fascinating debate.” But Mallory Fletcher, an 18-year-old student, told National Public Radio: “These middle-aged men are deciding what we are learning in our classrooms, saying that students are going to love this. But we are the students . . . and we are ashamed.”

Elsewhere, Texans voted against same-sex marriage. Kelly Shackelford, of Texans For Marriage, which supported the ban, said: “Texans know that marriage is between a man and a woman, and children deserve both a mom and a dad.”

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