Texas, that hotbed of creationism, has been reviewing curriculum supplements, including some additions composed by creationists. Governor Rick Perry recently appointed a hard conservative, Barbara Cargill, to head the state board of education. It was looking gloomy.

And now the board voted 8:0 to reject the creationists and approve good evolutionary biology standards. I’m impressed. But I can’t quite shake the feeling that they’ve got something devious in mind.

Just maybe, though, the board is wising up.