AUSTIN, Texas -- The State Board of Education took a vote Wednesday afternoon, choosing to rename a course on Mexican-American Studies under such name.

The Board cast a preliminary vote of 15-0 to change the course name from "Ethnic Studies: An Overview of Americans of Mexican Descent" to "Ethnic Studies: Mexican-American Studies."

Advocates celebrated the change. In April, the SBOE approved the course, which allows it to be taught in schools statewide. However, the name was changed during final approval.

Board member David Bradley of Beaumont put the amendment forward, saying the hyphenation of Mexican-American would be "divisive."

Groups protested before the SBOE Tuesday.

"This course is not a course for Americans of Mexican descent," said Jayme Mathias, Executive Director of the Mexican American School Boards Association. "It is a course for Mexican-American and Latino students. We would like the name to reflect the name that we prefer for ourselves."

A final vote is expected Friday.