Both Maryland Intelligent Design Bills now dead

Yesterday (10 April) was the last day of the current session of the Maryland General Assembly. The second of two House bills regarding teaching Intelligent Design received an unfavorable report from the Ways and Means Committee, and therefore moved into oblivion. This bill had about a dozen cosponsors. It would have provided teachers with "Academic Freedom" to teach Creationism as if it were science, and present it in any class. The other bill, HB 1228, would have prohibited the requiring of ID being taught in science class, but would have allowed the same material, taught as if it were scientifically valid, to be taught in humanities or philosopy classes. Perhaps the House Ways and Means Committee heard of the case in California where Creationists tried to outflank the Constitution by teaching ID in a class labeled "philosophy"--the Committee gave that bill an unfavorable report earlier.