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."

[Howlin]

No Santa at your house then?

[abigailsmybaby]

It's too bad kids can't be kids anymore and parents don't have parental rights anymore.

[zlala]

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.

How true!

[Rik0Shay]

Oh no not Cinderella. Please tell me that you are kidding. She is real right?

[TomB]

Let's say you come into the room and your four year old is playing with her dolls sitting around a table having a tea party. Do you:

a. Sit down and have her introduce you to her imaginary friends and stike up a nice conversation.

b. Grab her, shaking her violently and screaming "For crying out loud, they're only dolls!! They aren't real!!!

[luckystarmom]

What do you tell them? Oh you look really silly in that outfit. Your hair looks stupid.

[jwalsh07]

But the question is still, is it right to lie to have your fun and to let them have fun?

One mans lie is another mans wonderful memories. Santa Claus is the spirit of giving embodied in a fictitional character that brings joy to children around the world while at the same time instructing them on the Christian precept of giving.

It saddens me that some here who want to put "Christ" in Christmas do not understand that. It also saddens me that our society does not allow kids to be kids. But come Christmas morning all of that sadness will disappear as my family gathers around the Christmas tree and experiences the thrill of giving to those they love and those less fortunate.

After we take Santa out of Christmas, should we also remove the parables from the Bible?

[don-o]

I know I always tell my daughters they look beautiful!

Perhaps the problem here is a concept of beauty. Your girls get dressed up, as best they can; then you hesitate - pass a fashion statement?

Uh, a mama should not need to lie about the beauty of childiah playtime.

[Howlin]

Nail <---Head!

[FLAMING DEATH]

Could it be possible that when they find out that Santa isn't real, they might also wonder if Jesus isn't real?

If they're counting on you to tell them the truth, how do you differentiate between Jesus and Santa Claus?

Just wondering.

[FlJoePa]

The funny thing is, if I really wanted to be a turd in the punch bowl, I would ask these posters how many times they've met Jesus and how many times they've met Santa and then have them add them up and see if they still come to zero.

Now, I'm a believer, but a non-church goer (I work Sundays), but to hear the venom coming out of some of these poster's keyboards is nearly enough to make one begin to rethink organized religion (again)!

It's Christmas time, and these guys are lecturing us! I'll bet they're a real hit at all the holiday partys, huh?

[highimpact]

I believed in Santa as a kid. I remember waking up in the morning to find stockings stuffed on the mantle, an empty plate of cookies that I had placed out the night before next to an empty glass of milk. My dad even left boot prints in the ash in the fireplace to highlight Santa's arrival and departure. It's still a fond memory, and one that I want my kids to share. When I found out he wasn't real, I was old enough to deal with it and I wasn't "crushed" as some of these kids no doubt were.

The legend of Santa is not "lying to my kids for fun." Santa is a fantastic fairy tale, and part of happy childhood innocence.

My kids also believe in Christ, and they celebrate his birth every Christmas.

You're not getting it. It's not up to the teacher to dispel this myth...it's up to me.

[jwalsh07]

Only one ti in fictional walsh.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Withholding the truth isn't lying.

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

The phrase "lying by omission" was, I believe, created to address precisely that very fallacy, was it not...? :)

You cannot have it both ways, if you are arguing from an absolute moral stance (i.e., that it is "wrong" to "lie to a child.") If you are, in fact, conceding that there are instances where it is desirable and/or permissible to do so... then: the argument presented by the anti-Santa faction, thus far, collapses like a leaky innertube; and another needs to be offered, in its place.

[FLAMING DEATH]

There's a difference. The average parent, when he sees that his kid is playing with dolls or action figures or whatever, doesn't pick one up, hold them up to his kid, and say, "This is a real person."

[Hodar]

Oh, there is nothing wrong with play, and 'pretend'. But when adults cross the line and make 'pretend' seem 'real', that is a lie. No adult tries to pass off dolls as living entities. That's a pretty big difference.

[Ladytotheright]

My parents told me that you have to believe in Santa for
him to come. There is no Santa unless you believe in him. Anyone rememberr the article in the Chicago Sun... Yes, Virginia, there is an Santa clause.

[Ladytotheright]

My parents told me that you have to believe in Santa for
him to come. There is no Santa unless you believe in him. Anyone rememberr the article in the Chicago Sun... Yes, Virginia, there is an Santa clause.

[luckystarmom]

I don't understand what the last line means, especially "childiah playtime".

[Howlin]

Don't come around here trying to make SENSE, lady! :-)