The word "evolution" will be removed from school books in the deep south of the United States under a new proposal.

The schools superintendent for Georgia, Kathy Cox, has called for the universally-accepted scientific term to be removed from the curriculum.

Ms Cox said she made the suggestion to avoid offending parents of children in more religious, conservative parts of the state.

The theory, pioneered by Charles Darwin, has for years caused controversy in deeply religious parts of the United States, as it appears to question the Bible's version of the Creation.

Some people would prefer that the Christian version be taught, rather than the scientific one.

"If teachers across this state, parents across this state say, 'This is not what we want,' then we'll change it," said Ms Cox, a Republican who was elected to the post in 2002.

But the proposal to eradicate the word has drawn criticism, including from former President and Georgia resident Jimmy Carter.

He called the move an "embarrassment".

He said in a statement: "As a Christian, a trained engineer and scientist, and a professor at Emory University, I am embarrassed by Superintendent Kathy Cox's attempt to censor and distort the education of Georgia's students."

The state Board of Education will vote on the proposal in May.