Return from controller not evaluating script

I am using this in my controller to reload the country_area partial in
my form

def add_country_area
render :update do |page|
page[:country_area].reload
end
end

<< in form >>

<%= render :partial => ‘country_area’ %>
 

<< partial _country_area.rhtml >>
<%= select :country_area, :id, @country_areas.collect {|c| [c.descr,
c.id]}, {:prompt => “-- Select Area --”},
{:name => “country_area_select”, :onChange => “new
Ajax.Updater(‘country_area_info’,
‘/controller/admin/change_country_area/’+country_area.selectedIndex,
{asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true});” }
%>


Here is the HTTP response I get back using FireBug:

$(“country_area”).replace(
"<select id=“country_area_id” name=“country_area_select”
onChange=“new Ajax.Updater(‘country_area_info’, \n
\t’/controller/admin/change_country_area/’+country_area.selectedIndex,\n
\t{asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true});”><option
value=“2”>Guayanquil\n<option value=“7”>New\n

New\nQuito");

So when the page is redisplayed, it doesn’t evaluate the response, but
instead I get:

$(“country_area”).replace(| … drop down list …|");

Why isn’t the content in my country_area span getting replaced
correctly? Also, I do have the necessary javascript files in my layout,
I know that can be a problem when it does not get evaluated.

Thanks for the help!
Brian