>Sure it does. See the above example. The Bill of Rights has been sorely misinterpreted. It prohibits the federal government from "running" a religion, not from religious people from expressing themselves anywhere they'd like; even in a school or public location.

Bill of Rights
Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


It is a strange bias of mindset that would construe a 12 year old girl reading her Bible while riding a public school bus to public school as being equivilent to Congress, by law, establishing a religion. If she, by her action, is establishing a religion "In Loco Congress" , then it is fair to say that the authorities who expelled her from school are acting "In loco Congress" but are doing what is forbidden by the 1st Amendment by preventing her from the free exercise of her Faith. The girl is certainly not acting as Congress and 'establishing a state religion' by merely reading a book of her own Faith on a public transportation facility. And, it is not too great a leap to suggest that if the girl looses her 1st Amendment rights by merely stepping onto a public school bus, then any person who steps onto transportation funded by public money is at risk too. The First Amendment was written to protect the girl from having her view of Faith abused by Congress creating a "State Religion" that would compel her to violate her own beliefs. It also gives her the right to "Freely exercise" her Faith. That she can do neither is merely an indication of the level of erosion of the Bill of Rights.

Prior to the advancement of the idea that the Bill of Rights protects freedom FROM religion, pushed by those whose Faith is that God doesn't exist, it was not uncommon in this country to witness prayers in schools, public events, games, and they are still spoken in Congress and the Senate, a true hypocrisy if there ever was one. As a child and young adult I still remember, at public events in public places like schools, auditoriums, games, etc., listening to Catholic prayers, Methodist Prayers, Baptist prayers, Jewish prayers, an Indian chant, and some whose faith I don't remember, but I don't think Eastern religions were comman back then. None complained or were offended that they heard the prayers of others with whom they had religious disagreements. It was a fair round robin and they knew their chance was coming. I don't know if athiests and agnostics were asked, but if they were, who would they pray to? Would they offer a moments metitation to consider the transendental man, Netche's Superman?
I've often wondered.