preventing escaping of less-than and greater-thans in tal:replace

When doing the following:

      <span tal:define="r record/name; id record/task_id; mylt
string:'<'; mygt string:'>';"
            tal:replace="string:${mylt}option label='${r}'
value='${id}'${mygt}${r}${mylt}/option${mygt}"></span>

The less-thans and greater-thans still get html escaped.  How do I
prevent this?  Obviously I'm new to zope.  Your answer would probably
fit into the Zope Book because I don't see the answer there.

Thank You!!!!

BTW, I love zope, I am not a zope hater. ;)