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BASTROP —
Almost as soon as news that a graduating senior at Bastrop High School who is an atheist notified school officials that he intended to file a complaint if prayer were included in the school’s May 20 graduation ceremony, Hermant Mehta began spreading the word.
Through his website, friendlyatheist.com, Mehta’s first post came one day after the student notified school officials, who decided to remove the clergy-led prayer from the program. Over the next two days, Mehta updated the story frequently.
“Then I started wondering what I could do to help,” Mehta said.
On May 19, the idea came to him to ask others who shared his support of the student to contribute to a scholarship fund.
“I created a chip-in ... on the site. It’s something I’d done in the past for organizations but never for an individual,” Mehta said.
He admits his expectations were small.
“I thought I’d get a few hundred dollars. Between when I went to bed Thursday and got up Friday, my inbox was full of people who contributed,” Mehta said.
At 5 p.m. Monday, 1,123 people had contributed $27,285.40 to the fund.
“It’s more than I could have ever expected,” Mehta said.
Contributions will be accepted until 12 a.m. on May 31.
He still hasn’t spoken with the student directly, though he has exchanged e-mails with the student and a brother living in Texas. Mehta said the brother said the student is living with a sister in the Dallas area and is planning to attend a community college in the fall until he determines what he wants to focus on as a major.
Regardless of whether the student attends college, Mehta said he will still forward the amount collected to him.
“That’s a good question,” Mehta said. “I will send it to (the brother) to help (the student) with moving expenses and getting set up,” Mehta said. “I’m not concerned at all that they won’t use it for what’s best for (the student).”
Almost as soon as news that a graduating senior at Bastrop High School who is an atheist notified school officials that he intended to file a complaint if prayer were included in the school’s May 20 graduation ceremony, Hermant Mehta began spreading the word.
Through his website, friendlyatheist.com, Mehta’s first post came one day after the student notified school officials, who decided to remove the clergy-led prayer from the program. Over the next two days, Mehta updated the story frequently.
“Then I started wondering what I could do to help,” Mehta said.
On May 19, the idea came to him to ask others who shared his support of the student to contribute to a scholarship fund.
“I created a chip-in ... on the site. It’s something I’d done in the past for organizations but never for an individual,” Mehta said.
He admits his expectations were small.
“I thought I’d get a few hundred dollars. Between when I went to bed Thursday and got up Friday, my inbox was full of people who contributed,” Mehta said.
At 5 p.m. Monday, 1,123 people had contributed $27,285.40 to the fund.
“It’s more than I could have ever expected,” Mehta said.
Contributions will be accepted until 12 a.m. on May 31.
He still hasn’t spoken with the student directly, though he has exchanged e-mails with the student and a brother living in Texas. Mehta said the brother said the student is living with a sister in the Dallas area and is planning to attend a community college in the fall until he determines what he wants to focus on as a major.
Regardless of whether the student attends college, Mehta said he will still forward the amount collected to him.
“That’s a good question,” Mehta said. “I will send it to (the brother) to help (the student) with moving expenses and getting set up,” Mehta said. “I’m not concerned at all that they won’t use it for what’s best for (the student).”
