wrote to Jasper Adams: The American population is entirely Christian, and with us Christianity and Religion are identified. It would be strange indeed, if with such a people, our institutions did not presuppose Christianity, and did not often refer to it, and exhibit relations with it. (12) On March 28, 1787, Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote an open letter To the citizens of Philadelphia: A Plan for Free Schools , saying, Let the children . . . be carefully instructed in the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education. The great enemy of the salvation of man, in my opinion, never invented a more effectual means of extirpating Christianity from the world than by persuading mankind that it was improper to read the Bible at schools . . . The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty. (13) The Same Congress that passed the 1st Amendment, also drafted Article 3 of the Northwest Ordinance which contained the following language: Religion, Morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, Schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged. (14) While the founders did not wish to establish state religion, they sought to encourage and protect religion throughout the United States. (15) The Supreme Court of the United States held in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District that the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment protect an individual engaging in a personal religious observance from government reprisal. (16) The Constitution neither mandates nor permits the government to suppress such religious expression. 3. Civil action Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to any limitation on the ability of that person to engage in