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."
"Santa lives at the North Pole, and Superman has his Fortress of Solitude there... coincidence? I think not!"
Hmm....I hadn't thought of that. Maybe we should start the Church of the Superhero.
"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.
Dear god, another moronic public school teacher... Incompetent to boot. The "poem" titled "The Night before Christmas" was first published in 1823 (that's Eighteen Twenty-Three for the dslexic), not in 1882 as this fact-challenged kill-joy so asserted. Should have told the children that the actual title was "A Visit from St. Nicholas", according to the poem's author.
Sloppy scholarship by someone who confuses competence with personal conviction. Happens a lot with the holier-than-thou crowd...
dvwjr
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So I guess the kids can't be exposed to Cinerella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinnochio, etc. Geez, you'd make a great parent and even a better teacher - NOT!
Actually, that is the entire point of her argument. That Santa is religion, therefore should not be taught in school.
Think I'll take a sabbatical during Lent and Easter. Either that or my head will cave in :)
"I just heard the story of a man who, when he was young, was told finally that his parents lied to himn about there being a Santa Claus. The then-boy replied, "Dad, when are you going to tell me Jesus isn't real also"?"
Urban Legend #4,799.
How do you think your kids will feel about you when they find out that you've been elaborately lying to them for over a decade?
Exodus 20:16 - "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."
Jeremiah 9:5-9 - "And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, [and] weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation [is] in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? Their tongue [is as] an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: [one] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait. Shall I not visit them for these [things]? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"
Proverbs 6:16-19 "These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. "
The teacher wrote:
You neglected to include my entire statements about freedom of speech and religion. Don't you like the Constitution? It read:
"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."
______________________________________
Some forms of speech are not constitutionally protected...
Freedom of Speech
Address:http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/410/410lect08.htm
"I just heard the story of a man who, when he was young, was told finally that his parents lied to himn about there being a Santa Claus. The then-boy replied, "Dad, when are you going to tell me Jesus isn't real also"?"
That's really got to be one of the lamest responses I've ever seen here. They make it up as they go along!
"So I guess the kids can't be exposed to Cinerella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinnochio, etc. Geez, you'd make a great parent and even a better teacher - NOT!"
Sure they can be taught those things, as the fairy tales that they are...just like Santa.
Oh please... And Kwanza?
10 to 1 she has no problem with this. ""
I think she is Islamic. Looks like a ME last name.
Don't even get them started on Fairy Tales. Haven't you read the "evil" Harry Potter threads??
Well, that proves that Christian, conservative Republicans can still be jerks and morons.
The teacher is a Christian, conservative republican.""
No one I have ever known with that description would EVER have spoiled the kids Christmas for any reason.
I find it hard to believe she is really a Christian, a conservative, or a Republican.
She is stupid. Follow the lesson plan- she is a substitute.
She is cruel.
I believe I would as well. I would also appeal it all the way to the Supreme Court just so I could put the bitch in the poor house
You know what...it's my right to tell my children there is a Santa. It is not the right of any teacher, or other self proclaimed "good citizen" to tell my children otherwise.
My children know the reason for the season is the birth of Jesus. If they want to find joy in believing in Santa Claus, that is my family's choice and NOBODY better decide to take it on themselves to tell MY children otherwise.
Unfortunately, the law seems to be evolving towards the principle that, once we allow our children to walk through the doors of the public school, they state can decide entirely for itself what to teach them, and that we have no right to object.
You said it the best, IMO.
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