Freedom of Thought and Belief vs. Government Education

Is this a preview of what the future holds in America?

From the Religion Clause blog:

"In Spain, Catholic bishops have attacked the public schools’ new "Education for Citizenship and Human Rights" curriculum. Kath.net says that the curriculum’s goal is to encourage students to reject "racist, xenophobic, sexist, and homophobic social prejudices." The bishops say that the program violates Sec. 27(3) of Spain’s Constitution that provides "The public authorities guarantee the right which will assist parents to have their children receive the religious and moral formation which is in keeping with their own convictions." However a leading socialist party figure who was one of the drafters of the constitution, Gregorio Peces-Barba Martínez, published an op-ed this week accusing the Bishops of "extreme arrogance" and threatening a "new status", presumably a less privileged one, for the Church in Spain if it does not stop attacking the Education for Citizenship program."

Oral Argument in Second Amendment Case

From How Appealing:

1. Access online the transcript of today's U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in District of Columbia v. Heller, No. 07-290: The Court has posted it at this link.
And C-SPAN has made its rebroadcast of the audio from today's oral argument available for on-demand viewing by clicking here (RealPlayer required).

2. "Supreme Court Majority Appears To Back Gun Rights": Robert Barnes of The Washington Post provides this news update.
Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers reports that "Supreme Court justices critical of D.C. gun ban."
James Vicini of Reuters reports that "Conservative justices question D.C. handgun ban."
And Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that "Gun Rights Draw Support in U.S. Supreme Court Hearing."

Legal Humor--Mock Opinion in Spitzer v. United States

SCOTUS declares prostitution a constitutional right (Balkinization blog)

Virtual Tour of U.S. Supreme Court

here

Hat tip: Volokh Conspiracy

Additional Assignment

Notice that I have added one additional assignment--the one concerning Free Speech of Public Employees--to the syllabus. I think we have time to cover it, and it is an important area of free speech concern.