Teacher tells kids Santa is 'make-believe' (1st graders)

AP ^ | Thursday, December 4, 2003

[presidio9]

Sandra Jolly said her 6-year-old son's Christmas was spoiled when his teacher told the first-grade class Monday that "Santa Claus is make-believe."

"He had this sad, lost puppy dog look on his face. This unhappy, empty look," Jolly said. "He said his teacher informed the entire class that Santa is make-believe."

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I'm not claiming moral superiority.

You have been thundering, continuously, that it is "wrong" to "lie" to children, solely in order that either they or their parents might "have fun." (All quotes taken from your own numerous postings, in this very thread.)

Words MEAN Things. "Wrong" and "lie" are moral judgments. If you are not arguing from a moralistic stance, I confess, then your argument makes no sense to me whatsoever.

You are claiming that those who "lie" to children -- i.e., play-pretend the Santa myth with them -- are "wrong." In what sense is this not a declaration of moral superiority...?

[Smogger]

An excellent observation.

[luckystarmom]

Well, we still have to hide presents from them. They've already found one. We put some in the trunk of a car. I put some in boxes in the garage. Sometimes we've stored bikes at neighbors.

I have twins, so we always have lots of presents to hide when it's their birthday also. I've become an expert!!!

[don-o]

If you have any children, have you EVER told them a lie, eh?

I have children and the answer is: No. I have never told a lie to my children.

[nothingnew]

That was NOT the teacher's place. Period!

Bump to that. A teachers job (especially 6 year olds) is to teach the basic skills to pupils. The NEA is way far left and out to cripple our children with their so called "truth", "cultural training" and immersion in socialistic views.

FMCDH

[Howlin]

Do you have children?

[FLAMING DEATH]

Except, if a kid learns about sex and decides to experiment with it, he or she could end up dead or with serious consequences. We withhold the truth from kids so their studies won't be interrupted by changing diapers.

My parents said,"When you're old enough to know about that, we'll have a talk about it. Until then, you don't need to worry about it." They didn't lie to me. I knew they weren't trying to BS me or push me to the side, even though I was still in the dark. At least I didn't then go to school and start repeating a bunch of falsehoods that might have made me look like an idiot in front of my friends, like, for example, that a fat man comes down my chimney every December.

Withholding the truth isn't lying.

Creating "truth" out of thin air most certainly is.

Again, the teacher probably should have said, "Ask your parents", but it is easy to sit here and say what should have been done, especially considering we weren't in that situation. In 8 years of teaching, I know it is a foolish person who thinks that all situations can be resolved so easily.

[Iowegian]

You are claiming that those who "lie" to children -- i.e., play-pretend the Santa myth with them -- are "wrong." In what sense is this not a declaration of moral superiority...?

Since you are such a dim-bulb I'll explain it to you. I believe we are all sinners and lie. Some just don't and can't admit to themselves and others what they do is wrong.

[Junior_G]

I have children and the answer is: No. I have never told a lie to my children.

Hmmm....could that be a LIE? Ho ho ho...

[usadave]

So, a 'lie' is marginalized because the parents find it fun? Either you tell the truth, or you do not. How do you expect a child to consistently tell you the truth, when the parents conspire and plot a lie?

"when the parents conspire and plot a lie"? A little overkill, you think? You must be a real laugh riot at parties.

[luckystarmom]

Do you have daughters? You've never told them they look beautiful when they've borrowed your make-up, fixed their own hair, put on some strange outfit and asked if they look beautiful.

I know I always tell my daughters they look beautiful!

[trussell]

My children get to help me bake a cake and decorate it with a birthday theme for Jesus. We sing happy birthday to Jesus, and then we leave a piece of cake and a glass of milk out for Santa. They have the best of both worlds.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Fantasization is fine, as long as it is made clear that it is just fantasization. After all, we don't want kids breaking windows and blaming it on imaginary friends.

But, clearly, the Santa Claus thing is much more than that. Kids believe he is REAL. And parents encourage this.

[woodyinscc]

You give me hope, I still have my sanity. Can you believe this thread? Heck I always thought finding out Santa was not real, was like a rite of passage. Cannot wait for Easter, gotta hide those eggs.:)

[FLAMING DEATH]

It is nice that you feel sorry for me, but I don't understand. Please explain.

[Junior_G]

We sing happy birthday to Jesus, and then we leave a piece of cake and a glass of milk out for Santa.

You know, if Jesus was 30 years older, and packed on a few pounds, he'd look just like...like...OH MY GOD!!!!

[don-o]

Howlin'

I have two healthy well formed boy children - age 14 and 11.

Both of whom have not been lied to by their parents.

Your point?

[FLAMING DEATH]

"Um, I think you're nuts too."

Ha ha!

Alrighty then!

Care to elaborate?

[don-o]

. We find it better to not lie.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Since you are such a dim-bulb I'll explain it to you.

A "dim-bulb" I may very well be -- although I imagine it will be, of necessity, someone much brighter than yourself who makes that final determination -- but: even I noticed you just violated your own prim denunciations versus namecalling, made earlier. Nice.

I believe we are all sinners and lie. Some just don't and can't admit to themselves and others what they do is wrong.

Ah. In other words, then -- stripping away, once again, the clumsy attempts at dodging what was (after all) a simple, straightforward question -- you ARE basing your argument on notions of "morality"; with you (oh, naturally!) the final, perfect arbiter of what constitutes same, in this instance.

That answers my question nicely, thank you. Next slide, please.