My graduation from high school is this Friday. I live in the Bible Belt of the United States. The school was going to perform a prayer at graduation, but due to me sending the superintendent an email stating it was against Louisiana state law and that I would be forced to contact the ACLU if they ignored me, they ceased it. The school backed down, but that's when the shitstorm rolled in. Everyone is trying to get it back in the ceremony now. I'm not worried about it, but everyone hates me... kind of worried about attending graduation now. It's attracted more hostility than I thought.

My reasoning behind it is that it's emotionally stressing on anyone who isn't Christian. No one else wanted to stand up for their constitutional right of having freedom of and FROM religion. I was also hoping to encourage other atheists to come out and be heard. I'm one of maybe three atheists in this town that I currently know of. One of the others is afraid to come out of the (atheist) closet.

Though I've caused my classmates to hate me, I feel like I've done the right thing. Regardless of their thoughts on it, basically saying I am ruining their fun and their lives, I feel like I've helped someone out there. I didn't do this for me or just atheists, but anyone who doesn't believe in their god that prayer to Yahweh may affect.

Moral of the story: though the opposition may be great, majority doesn't necessarily mean right. Thank you for reading. Wish me luck at graduation.

EDIT: Well, it hit the fan a couple hours ago. They've already assembled a group of supporters at a local church and called in the newspaper. I've had to deactivate my Facebook account and I can't reason with any of them. They refuse to listen. The whole town hates me, aside from a few closet atheists that are silently supporting, which I don't blame them looking at what I've incited here. Thanks for the support though.

If anyone would like to offer support, the superintendent is who I emailed and the school's website is mpsb.us

Thanks for the support. It's really helping. This has just gotten sickening.

Edit: I've had requests for my Facebook info... I don't mind giving that out at all. Damon Fowler - Bastrop, LA. I could use all of the support I can get.

EDIT: My laptop battery is running low as I type thanks to the hundreds of Facebook friend requests and messages I've been trying to reply to. Thank all of you for the continued support. Right now, I'm about to go to the principle's office to speak to her in person about attending graduation.

I just got off the phone with FFRF as well and apparently I've been given a $1000 student activist's award toward college. I really wasn't expecting it to get this big, nor was I expecting any of that. Still, I thank all of you for the support that I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else. You played a big part in this and because of you, I've decided to walk despite rumors of threats against me. So far, they're talking about organizing a large vocal prayer during the moment of silence despite what I've done. We'll see how this goes. Class night is tonight... not looking forward to attending that.

EDIT: Back from Class Night... (You Tube). Dealt with people staring at me, calling me names, talking about me behind my back (even teachers). I'll walk across that stage tomorrow, whether they want me to or not.

Update by students brother:

I am Damon's Brother.

Here is an update: My brother has been cut off from all communication by my mother. He is not allowed to speak to me and I live 6 hours drive away from him. There's nothing I can do. My sister is supposed to go pick him up tomorrow and he will no longer be living in that town or with my parents. He's coming to Texas with me.

Regarding Quinn's comments. I was one of her students in high school. This is the letter I wrote to her this afternoon:

Hello Mrs. Quinn,

My brother is Damon Fowler. I recently heard by proxy that you stated some pretty hateful and incredibly biased remarks in regard to him confronting the school about its illegal prayer at graduation. It's insulting and upsetting to me because I honestly considered you one of my favorite teachers in high school. It was because of you and Mr. Horton that I went on to the University of North Texas and got my BFA in New Media Art and I'm currently a lead web designer at one of the largest Universities in Texas.

The quote I am referring to is this:

"[In the past, non-religious students] respected the majority of their classmates and didn't say anything," [Bastrop High School staff member Mitizi] Quinn said. "We've never had this come up before. Never...And what's even more sad is this is a student who really hasn't contributed anything to graduation or to their classmates." (Bastrop Daily Enterprise)

The last sentence is what I am referring to specifically. This is extremely unprofessional and unbecoming of a teacher. I am requesting that you both personally and publicly apologize to my brother for your remarks and if I do not hear that this has happened by the end of the week, I will be taking this to the superintendent and to the school board. If the school board does nothing, I will take this even higher.

I need not remind you that a specific and lengthy school prayer is illegal in the state of Louisiana. My brother is in the right here. The will of the majority does not rule all in this case. In other words, in this case, the majority is in violation of state and federal laws. This is why the school board backed down.

Of all people I saw you as a person who stood up for the weak and hurting. I remember a story where you told me you were instrumental in desegregating BHS. This is no different. By dismissing Damon's emotions/feelings/beliefs, you ignore him (and other religious and non-religious). You marginalize other religious and non-religious students. By not standing up for him and the law, you are hurting who my brother is and what he's trying to do, without any care for his emotions. You're advocating to have this little ritual performed illegally at graduation, with blatant disregard for anyone who isn't Christian. Instead, what you should be doing is supporting all students and the law by supporting a brief moment of silence, not prayer, but moment of silence. It's the law.

Sincerely,

Jerrett Fowler

Story from local paper here:

Student challenges prayer at Bastrop graduation
Threatens to contact ACLU if prayer is offered

A student who claims to be an atheist has forced officials at Bastrop High School to take prayer from the graduation ceremonies scheduled for May 20, 2011, at the Bastrop High School football stadium.

For the first time ever, prayer will not be part of graduation ceremonies Friday night at Bastrop High School.

Principal Stacey Pullen said the school received an e-mail on Tuesday from a student who identied themself as an atheist.

"They said if we included a traditional prayer in the ceremony that they would contact the (American Civil Liberties Union)," Pullen said. "We asked our attorney about it, and we are making changes to the program."

Not only are school officials dropping the prayer from the ceremony, they are being forced to have the programs for the evening's events reprinted at a cost Pullen said is undetermined at this time.

Mitzi Quinn has been on the staff at BHS for almost 25 years, much of that time as a senior advisor. In the past, Quinn said there have been students who were atheist, agnostic and other non-Christian religions who "had no problems" with the prayer.

"They respected the majority of their classmates and didn't say anything," Quinn said. "We've never had this come up before. Never."

Throughout her time working with the student, Quinn said they never expressed their personal beliefs or that they had any problems with other students' Christian faiths.

"And what's even more sad is this is a student who really hasn't contributed anything to graduation or to their classmates," Quinn said.