Posted on 12/26/2005 8:11:14 AM PST by Conservatrix
To the Editor:
"Last week I substituted at a local elementary school in Lebanon County. The lesson plan required me to read the 1882 poem “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore to two classes of students. While I can appreciate the poem for its literary value, the subject matter is offensive to me, and the reading of this poem to the children imposed values upon me which are against my deeply held religious beliefs. I could not in good conscience present the notion of Santa Claus as a truth to the children, and stated so.
No public school teacher should be required to teach a belief, or custom, or religion that he or she believes to be false, or be required to pass those purported falsehoods onto impressionable children, without the right to state a disclaimer. Furthermore, freedom of speech and religion, no matter how unpopular the speech or against cultural norms the religion, are protected rights under the Constitution of the United States. A secular public school should not be propagating any kind of religion. The belief in Santa Claus as a divine, magical, omniscient, powerful, giving, loving father-figure, to which children are taught to make supplications and requests, is a religion indeed-- a distorted substitute for the Judeo-Christian God; a false form of Christianity; a zealously-protected American idol.
In presenting the poem, I gave the children quick historical background about the Santa Claus myth-- its evolution from the historic Nickolaus, Bishop of Myrna in Asia Minor, who died in 343 A.D., to its amalgamation with ancient Western pagan traditions of German, Scandinavian and Dutch origins, to the current manifestation in the secular Christmas culture of today. (Dutch children, for example, would put their wooden shoes out at night for “Sante Klaus” to fill with candies.)
The current Santa Claus figure was popularized in the late 19th Century by artist Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly Magazine, who depicted “Saint Nick,” not as an elf, but a rotund, pipe-smoking man in a red and white suit. This is the deity to which countless public school children today are taught to make supplications, and about whom they sing their many songs at annual public school Christmas programs.
If people are upset about the revelation to children that Santa Claus is a myth-- which all children who are taught this lie find or figure out eventually-- perhaps it is because Santa is that zealously-guarded idol of their own modern religion. Therefore, as a religion, let Santa be kept out of the public school classroom (no more “Dear Santa” letters to line those school hallways)--or perhaps, in the interest of “diversity,” make his mythical, oversized personage share equal representation in literature, and song, and Christmas programs, with the other Person of the season: the Lord Jesus Christ, God made flesh, God with us."
I can only imagine what this teacher's views on Halloween might be.
Thanks, I think I got it the first time!
There are alternatives to public school--private and homeschool.
Even if the parents both have to work out of economic necessity, they can arrange for different shifts and the children can be cared for 100% by a parent and homeschooled if they are that concerned with their children being exposed to Santa Claus in school. I can think of much worse that kids will be exposed to in public schools--certain words, sex, homosexuality as a virtue, etc....
It's like pretty much everything in life that's offered for "free", there are strings attached. My statement stands: this woman had no business imposing her religious beliefs on these children. If it had been a Muslim, Jewish or atheist teacher seeking to disabuse Christian children of the notion of Christ as the Messiah, you all would be screaming for her head on a pike, and rightly so.
Just because she claims to be Christian, it's still not right to impose her personal religious beliefs on these children.
I think the idea of someone giving to children for nothing in return a very nice thing. I don't see how it can be offensive.( Luckystarmom)
Luckystarmom,
While the story of Santa is a delightful fairytale and as such, is not offensive. However,it is offensive to my husband and me to teach children that Santa is real.
If Santa is presented as real, the parents and other adults have lied to the child. They are not building a foundation of trust. Why should the child believe the parent later, on important topics, if they pulled such a nasty joke on their innocent and defenseless children?
However.....Just as it would be wrong for the police state to force children into government schools that upheld my beliefs about Santa, it is also wrong to FORCE children from families like mine into schools that lie to them about Santa.
There is NO possible way that government schools can solve the conundrum in a neutral way.
1)If it totally ignores Christmas, Santa, Christ, etc., it is presenting our culture in a distorted and untruthful manner.
2)If it teaches that Santa is real, it undermines the religious beliefs shared by my family and those of many others.
3)If it teaches Santa is not real, then it is undermining the cultural beliefs of other families.
Solution: Abolish government schools. We need complete separation of SCHOOL and state.
I firmly agree with this woman. I did at first and I do now even moreso after reading her letter explaining WHY she did what she did. But I would not have done it.
My wife and I discussed this the day it happened - and we disagree on this. She is in the "magic of childhood" camp. I am not.
This is also a special case. The information is, in fact, the truth, which makes it public information. It is easily grasped by the childs mind, making it appropriate information for children, intellectually speaking. It is not "adult information", as in "sex ed", also making it ok to discuss with children.
If she said Jesus was not real, that would be different because he is accepted as real by reasonable full grown adults. Sane adults do not believe in Santa.
A pandoras box has been opened here. This is only the beginning of this one...
I think that schools should not teach whether or not Santa is real. I think you can read a poem, and have it be a poem. If a child asks if it is real, then a teacher should tell the children that they should talk to their parents.
I think that sex-ed should be handle in much the same way. In that, when children are old enought (junior high, high school, then the children need to be taught the biology of sex. As for what is right or wrong, that should be left up the parents.
Sorry for all the errors in the previous post.
Here is the corrected version:
In that, when children are old enough (junior high or high school) then the children need to be taught the biology of sex. As for what is right or wrong, that should be left up to the parents.
In the meantime, this stranger, hired to read a poem for the children's enjoyment, instead needlessly inflicted distress on these little children.
You can defend her all you like. I cannot.
And I am a father to many more.
I am more interested in attacking this teacher's critics than I am in defending her. If she is a Christian and believes the Almighty will deliver her from persecution, fine with me... that is her cross to bear...
Her critics aren't as pure as the wind driven snow in this. Not only do they want to perpetuate a lie, they want others to go along with it. Sort of a sinning on the layaway plan according to their bastardized interpretation of Christian doctrine.
But, since I am not a Christian, and therefore not bound by Christian rules; I will point out that a lie from the parents is far more traumatic to a child than the truth from a stranger about a silly hobgoblin.
It is the idolatry of vanity and conceit that I call into question here by so many celebrants of Christmas.
I NEVER lie to my children, nor will I ever...
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You can defend her all you like. I cannot.
If Yahweh or Yeshua commands her, nobody needs to defend her.
I think the issue makes about as much difference as the hole left behind when you pull your hand out of a pail of water...
You want to hear this atheist's view of it?
Satanism.
I think the idea of someone giving to children for nothing in return a very nice thing. I don't see how it can be offensive.
What about 12 years later when these little skulls full of mush think Uncle Sam is Santa Claus when they vote for the first time?
Where does that something for nothing mentality begin? Oh, it's for the children...
I know what you mean. When I'm handing out treats to those little kids wearing ninja turtle outfits on Halloween, I think to myself, this is what Satan wants me to do.
I think refined sugar is poison for little kids... you might has well hand out cigarettes and matches.
Despite your pathetic sarcasm, I resist the commonly accepted practices of poor dietary health in pediatrics.
There are too many fat, unhealthy children that need exercise and a good wholesome diet. I see nothing humorous about it.
I think Halloween is just a pathetic neo-pagan stupidity promoted by liberal adults. If you like it, fine, it's a free country. But, I will always see it, and your asinine commentary about it, as just another facet of cultural Marxism.
Las Vegas odds are now 45-1 that you don't answer the doorbell during Satan Night.
Las Vegas odds are 45-1 against anyone making it to my front door without permission or a warrant...
The teacher is absolutely right. I agree with her views and in a similiar situation I would also EDUCATE the children. The job of a teacher is not to propagate fantasy and myth.
This woman is not the brightest light. Santa is supposed to be a childish belief.
Really. How many trick-or-treaters and Jehovah's Witnesses have you killed so far?
You don't seem like a very happy individual.
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