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."
Yup. ok, read both statements.
Upon reflected analysis, it is my considered opinion that the author of both statements is a spinster b!tch that is frustrated that she cannot find a local student for her to "tutor".
A "type" profile will reveal that she worships St Kerry at the Gore altar. She will consider TAYRAYZA as the ultimate social Diva.
It will be found that she shaves neither legs nor armpits and is total agreement with Mo Dowd that men are intimidated by "intelligent, powerful women" which she is neither.
Semper Disgusted.
"The teacher is a Christian, conservative republican."
"She is a right-wing person, not a leftist."
All of the above quotes are yours.
Considering the fact that you seem to have a lot of personal information about this teacher, and considering your tagline, ("He who stands for nothing will fall for anything."), there is a question here begging to be asked.
Are you this teacher?
What an interesting thread!
I must admit, I am confused by some of the arguments being offered here.
On the one hand, many people are saying that "Santa Claus" is a myth (like The Illiad), or a fantasy story and thus there is no harm in teaching about him. After all, the Iliad is taught in school, as are fantasy tales like "The Lord of the Rings".
However, children don't believe those things are true. If something is a myth, children are told that it is a myth and when I was a child, it was stressed that myths are not true.
On the other hand, much of the anger directed at this teacher seems to be precisely because she taught Santa as a myth, a fantasy tale, and not the truth.
If Santa is a myth, then what is wrong with calling him that?
Do people teach their children that Frodo and Sam are real people?
Ah, WRONG.
This belief structure does not reflect the values and structure of a consevative. OBTW, nether does yours. A 6 yearold, is, a 6 year old. She did not have the right to fly in the face of tradition with her actions. Sorry bitchy, you're WRONG!
Semper Disgusted
Just because you have no understanding of that religion does not mean it doesn't exist.
You ignorant troll! Where, exactly in your precious article and rebuttal article is that little factoid expressed?????
Semper Outraged
And apparently particularly desirous of forcing that distorted belief structure on 6 year olds.
Remember, you reap what you sew.
Semper Disgusted
See my post #536.
I agree with your post, I think the teacher should have voiced her objections to the school board, not the children.
But this doesn't really have anything to do with what I said.
I am questioning the people who compare Santa Claus to the myths we freely teach our children, yet these same people don't want anyone to actually say Santa is a myth.
Your post made me cry.
My parents never had some great talk with me to 'come clean' about Santa... we were always told we were free to doubt he exists whenever we wanted to stop getting presents from him :~D
I still believe in Santa. I'm in my thirties. :~D
Conservatrix, this whole statement is tedious self-important grandstanding... Saving these children's souls by blowing the lid of Santa Claus! Gee there's a worthy mission! "Zealously-guarded idol" my butt. How about "a tradition that is a lot of fun till someone like you pisses on it".
Hope you stubbed your toe on Christmas :~D
I understood precisely what you were saying and there is no comparison.
Our Jewish neighbors celebrate Christmas as well.
The lineage of the Santa Claus character is of zero relevance here, unless you can produce some evidence that administrators of the school district involved in this case are themselves practitioners of that particular branch of shamanism and are intentionally ordering teachers to include multiple references to Santa Claus in their curriculums for the express purpose of leading impressionable young minds towards joining said religion.
If this turns out to be the case, I'll be happy to discuss the matter further. Otherwise, the inclusion of this wildly famous work of poetry in the lesson plan has no more religious meaning than the average algebra equation.
Exactly what makes you think that it is your responsibility, or, right to do so?
That level of counseling or what-have-you is reserved for the PARENTS! Not for some self-proclaiming faux-intellectual. No one asked the idiot teacher, or you for that matter, to believe anything contrary to their individual belief structure. But, you seem to find it totally acceptable to foist off your allegedly superior belief structure on others, particularly children against the desires of the parents. This is not only wrong, it is arrogant. It is reflective of a culture of the intelligensia and the old soviet "nomenklatura" thinking. Sorry Dame, you views are "nekulturney"
Semper Fi
I can't speak for anyone else on this thread, but what I'm angry about is that the teacher committed an act that she had to have known would be emotionally upsetting to at least some of the young children she was teaching, and went ahead and did it anyway. She is quite free to believe as she wishes, and live her own life however she desires. But when she sends a bunch of six-year-old kids home crying to their parents and then tries to play a "freedom of expression" card to save herself when she gets called on the carpet for it, there's a problem.
LOLOL!
Onyx! Snake-handling ping!
This pervert "teacher" gets off on inflicting emotional pain on little children and hides behind some high-minded "light of truth" defense to wiggle away from any condemnation.
Far from having any understanding of human social dynamics, she's even further from empathizing with the hearts and spirits of young children. Their needs to dream and have wonder, fantasy and play in their lives.
If justice had any presence in this state, or our society, her license to teach would be ripped from her grasp and she'd be listed with the authorities under a form of Megan's Law registration.
I sure hope she can't breed.
I don'[t see you hee very often anymore. I hope your Christmas was wonderful. Have a happy new year!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.