Sound rough, but good for you sticking to your guns! If this ever happens again though, I suggest reading Matthew 6:5-6:6
“And when you pray do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

(((((hugs!))))) VERY uncool for them to single you out and harrass you like that. I totally understand giving them the bird for that!

Assuming since the teacher was asking who wanted to lead the morning prayer this has to be a private parochial school since prayers aren't allowed in public schools. I remember when I was in parochial schools there were several non-catholics and who know maybe some atheists. They could get a better education here than in public school.

Children can be cruel and they showed you what they thought of you by pushing you. You did the right thing. They all knew you were atheists yet the coerced you to humiliate you. You gave them the finger. Rock on. I'm shocked the teacher didn't back you up unless the teacher didn't know but does now. Ah well, ya did good. Hang in there. The road is rocky sometimes.

Man, that is not an easy position to be in. If this is a state-supported school you probably have some recourse. It doesn't sound legal to me. (But I'm nobody)

I find it to be pretty hypocritical that religious persons expect you to show respect fof their beliefs when they won't ever show any respect for those who believe differently. They act as if they are entitled to more respect than anyone who does not share their beliefs.

I have often said the at the heart of prejudice is that peopel desire an arbritrary reason to believe that they are better than others, and deserve to be treated better than others without doing anythign that requires any work or effort exerted from them. It doesn't matter if the prejudice is bsed on race, religion, sexual orientation or whatever, persons with prejudices are just too lazy to expend effort to prove their worth and so they adopt arbitrary views that build them up in their own minds and they associate with others who have similar viewws so they re-enforce each other's views or put more bluntly develop a mob mentality.

Religious prejudice is insidious in that people convince themselves they are doing good, when they are in fact usually performing evil acts and they feel good about it because they are doing "god's work". I mean, isn't tht how religious extremist terrorist think?

Trying to shame a nonbeliever comes out of the same kind of mind set or way of thinking that drives religious fanatics to commit abhorrent acts.

Hugs, SummerWolf! Also, you may have already seen that one of the most prolific contributors to this site, SonnyMiaPH, is likewise from the Philippines. He has also posted about the intense pressure for religious conformity there. No doubt you two will find that you have many experiences in common.

Hugs and support for being who you are.