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."

[tutstar]

"How do you destroy a 6-year-old like that?" said Pam Sturt,

But lying to your child and telling them Santa is real is only setting them up to 'be destroyed' when they find out the truth.

We always told our kids the truth, we still 'do Santa' but they understand it's pretend and it's just for fun.

[DLfromthedesert]

Oh, PUH-LEEZE!! I grew up with the true story and the Santa story. Children should be allowed some magic in their lives.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Amazing, since I probably have never met you and there's almost no possible way you could even have an idea of the grandiose and convoluted story behind it.

[Hootch]

You're a putz.

Can't children have this kind of fantasy? It's a fun thing that we do with out children and when they realize that it's all a myth, the kids who have just realized that it was a myth usually play along with their younger siblings.

By the way, what the hell right did this teacher have to tell the kids??

[deadhead]

"Let kids be kids for awhile...most of us grew up and realized the truth without some educrat spoiling it for us at age six."

I agree, nothingnew.

[FLAMING DEATH]

The difference is, we don't expect anyone to believe that other myths are real.

My parents always taught me that one's motivation to tell an untruth was irrelevant.

[Howlin]

A wise move. Strike first........LOL.

[LisaAnne]

Even a child is smart enough to know make believe/fantasy from a LIE, even if you aren't.

[JoeSchem]

I remember PJ O'Rourke once said that God is a Republican while Santa Claus is a Democrat, and while Santa Claus has the advantage of not being as judgemental and strict as God, God has the advantage of being real.

[redpoll]

I'm a teacher reading this during the time I'm supposed to be correcting papers, but I really like freerepublic... so... and I was thinking about what I would have done in a similar situation. I notice no one questioned the teacher's comments about the mythic status of the Tooth Fairy. In my mind, this article is another good argument for vouchers - please let me teach in the manner that I think is best for children, and if you don't like it, go to Joe's School down the road. As long as we continue to have the state-run school monopoly, teachers will be forced to dumb down teaching to placate complaint after complaint from angry parents, dopey legislators and leftist academics. (I imagine the teacher in this article will think seriously about ever trying to promote thinking, discussion, or an exchange of ideas in her classroom - and these sorts of complaints are the thing that drives out the best among us. The worst teachers do little to attract notice, and are rewarded with tenure and advancement. Please list "tenure" as something else which needs to be abolished.) Another problem with government schools is that the system brings out the entitlement mentality in many people, and this article demonstrates the problem - instead of working with the school, the parents see the school as both "the oppressor" as well as "the place that needs to give me everything I want." So why not crap all over the teacher? And we'll sue you for millions afterwards, too. Certainly I blame my own profession for a lot of this, starting with the union which pretends to represent me and the simplistic schools of education. The good news is that I'm out here, ready to correct papers in which spelling and grammar count, where I frankly admit a pro-American bias and my kids are regularly confronted with rigor in their schoolwork. There's a lot more like me, too, and most of the parents really respect my work. Final word: What would I do in this teacher's shoes? I might have asked the class how many believed in Santa Claus, and if most of the kids raised hands, I would have moved on to teaching addition. It would have been nice for the parents to have been polite and supportive of the teacher, too, instead of treating her like crap. Sadly, we live in a degraded society (I would say Godless in many quarters, including my own), and when you're in a world like that, attacking the institutions of society is normal. Well, have to grade papers. Ciao.

[Hodar]

The question would probably be best phrased "How should a teacher respond when asked about Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Father Time"?

I have found that the truth is seldom the wrong answer.

[zlala]

I'm sorry your experience was tramatic. However, I think it is the exception to the rule. And maybe most of us are having a hard time understanding your reaction. That shouldn't take away from your experience. But I think it took you off the topic of this thread.

In regards to the main topic of this thread, the issue is: Is it a teachers place to inform 6-7 yr old children that Santa isn't real?

I think on that one issue (knowing you) you'd agree the teacher shouldn't have even gone there.

[Junior_G]

But lying to your child and telling them Santa is real is only setting them up to 'be destroyed' when they find out the truth.

Who are all these thin-skinned nutcases that were "destroyed" when they found out that Santa wasn't real? Get a grip, people.

[DLfromthedesert]

And you're a Scrooge.

[luckystarmom]

It's called make-believe, and it's fun for the parents and the kids to have Santa.

Yes, my kids know the true meaning of Christmas. They know that if there was no Santa, no tree, no gifts, that we would still celebrate Christmas.

However, a teacher deciding to tell a 6 year old the truth about Santa is just mean. It should be left the parent. The teacher didn't have to lie. The teacher should just tell them to talk to their parents.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

What would I do in this teacher's shoes? I might have asked the class how many believed in Santa Claus, and if most of the kids raised hands, I would have moved on to teaching addition.

A perfectly sensible response. :)

[luckystarmom]

Should the teacher tell them the truth about sex. If a 6 year old asks how babies are made, should the teacher tell them. Or should the teacher say "talk to your parents".

[JmyBryan]

Great stuff - fully agree.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

Good Lord you have got some problems. I'm sorry you have issues with your parents but we weren't all emotionally scarred by the Santa experience. It sounds like you are dealing with a lot more than just a Santa fantasy. I hope you get some help. Merry Christmas...Ho....Ho.....Ho.....

[zlala]

The question would probably be best phrased "How should a teacher respond when asked about Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Father Time"? I have found that the truth is seldom the wrong answer.

A smart, wise, thoughtful teacher would answer: You need to ask your parents that question. End of discussion. No matter how many times a child asks. AND it would be prudent for that teacher to call the parent to give a heads up about what may have prompted the question in the first place.