New York Teacher Tells Kids There Is No Santa Claus

[ike42]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/03/new-york-teacher-tells-kids-there-is-no-santa-claus

I just read this story and it made me feel bad for the teacher. On one hand people expect teachers to be honest to their kids and not to teach them anything they don't believe, but on the other there are parents that will get really upset if you try to tell their kid the truth. I personally wouldn't tell someone's kid that there is or isn't a Santa Clause, much in the same way I approach people trying to proselytize to me. I just try to change the subject.

This raises the question though, is it right to lie to your kids about Santa, or any of the other made up characters just because you think it might make the kid happier? I for one don't thinks so. I was raised with the moral value that one should always attempt to tell the truth. When I found out my parents were lying to me it made me realize that they were big hypocrites. What are your thoughts?

 

[PanYue]

I'm a person who grew up with a big reliance on my imagination. Santa Clause was someone I believed existed, and I would imagine him alot when I was younger when it was almost christmas time. Now that I'm older, I respect the stories my parents would tell me and all the carols about him. It plays to a childs mind and uses what they like to make the holiday what it's meant to be - fun, family oriented and exciting!

I can see kids in my head now going "SANTA'S COMING! SANTA'S COMING! Gotta get the milk and cookies!"

It's a magical kind of moment, that. They're all excited at the idea of this great man breaking into their home at night and giving them gifts for being good that year. So I say Yes, it is bad to tell kids that he does not exist. Let them be innocent and enjoy their years as a young'in because god knows that sort of thing disappears when you get older. I still mess with my imagination but it's not the same. I grew up with the moral of telling the truth, too ike42. That being said my family also took happiness of the families children into account as well. So it was kind of a loophole. =3

tl;dr: Santa is one of the things that should be linked to a childs (religion allowing) early life experiences before they grow up and have to deal with the big bad world. D:

 

[Sonicron]

Oh, for fuck's sake. Years and years parents preach that teachers need to be an important part of children's upbringing, with values like honesty at the very center of the debate, and now they ***** about a teacher being honest and "demystifying" the fictional figurehead of a commercial (yes, commercial, deal with it) holiday?!
If there is any kind of justice in the world, the teacher will not only NOT get in trouble, but the school will also make a formal statement to the parents, politely telling them to go suck it. God. Damn. D:<

 

[ZiggyE]

The kids are eight years old, they should already know there is no Santa, probably from their own parents, their own common sense or older students. Lord knows when I was eight, I didn't believe in Santa Clause. I can understand if they were four or five year olds, though I still wouldn't agree that this is a bad thing, but Jesus Christ, this is absurd.

 

[Thaluikhain]

It's a geography lesson about the North Pole. The issue of there being a Santa Claus there is going to come up.

But, awkward position...I'm against lying to kids, but you know lots of parents like it, and are going to be pissed off if you tell the kids the truth about things.

How about a deal, if you tell kids there's a Santa, you're allowed to teach them a bunch of other stuff you know is wrong as well?

 

[Seventh Actuality]

That so many parents lie to their children about Santa Claus when they'd never do the same under any other circumstances is ridiculous. It's not magical or sweet, it's just one of those straight-up stupid things that only happens because it's a norm, not for any of the reasons people give when asked.

 

[PanYue]

Oh, for fuck's sake. Years and years parents preach that teachers need to be an important part of children's upbringing, with values like honesty at the very center of the debate, and now they ***** about a teacher being honest and "demystifying" the fictional figurehead of a commercial (yes, commercial, deal with it) holiday?!

I agree with you, Sonicron. However, I think the teacher in question should have shown a little restraint. Honesty is good but they're 2nd graders. I would think the teacher would have known from experience that messing with a belief like "Santa is real" at a young age would be like putting petrol into a fire place. It was dangerous move in the first place! XD

Edit: Someone above did say that at 8 years old they should know he doesn't exist by now, but I still think it could be a touchy subject for a few of the remaining children, you never know what type of life they live at home and how their parents treat these subjects.

 

[CulixCupric]

I never believed in santa, because my parents told me the truth about everything. i got "the talk" at age 3. I was home-schooled til the 6th grade. however, even after all of this, i have an extremely overactive imagination. I played daggerfall at age 8, and watched rated R movies at age 6. i was never allowed to watch looney tunes because the fact they unrealistically survived murder etc. and that would supposedly influence me to reenact shit that would get me dead. I'm a weird kid.

 

[Saltyk]

I'd say that the teacher should have deflected the question and told the kids to talk to their parents about that. Explain that there are some things their parents are better equipped to teach them. This avoids all issues.

At Thanksgiving, my 4 year old second cousin asked me if fairies were real. I excused myself to ask her mother what I should tell the child. Once I knew her stance, I returned to tell the child what her mother wanted (faeries are make-believe for those who were curious). I was actually happy that it didn't lead into a question about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.

 

[Marcus Kehoe]

So, she decided to tell the truth. Parents are lying to their kids saying that some mystical figure is bringing them presents, that's lying to them.

 

[Sonicron]

Oh, for fuck's sake. Years and years parents preach that teachers need to be an important part of children's upbringing, with values like honesty at the very center of the debate, and now they ***** about a teacher being honest and "demystifying" the fictional figurehead of a commercial (yes, commercial, deal with it) holiday?!

I agree with you, Sonicron. However, I think the teacher in question should have shown a little restraint. Honesty is good but they're 2nd graders. I would think the teacher would have known from experience that messing with a belief like "Santa is real" at a young age would be like putting petrol into a fire place. It was dangerous move in the first place! XD

Edit: Someone above did say that at 8 years old they should know he doesn't exist by now, but I still think it could be a touchy subject for a few of the remaining children, you never know what type of life they live at home and how their parents treat these subjects.

As that someone above rightly pointed out, at age 7 or 8, i.e. at the time you enter 2nd grade, believing in characters like Santa Claus is... well, I can't even imagine that condition. (What baffles me is that, in America, apparently geography is part of the curriculum for 2nd-graders. Weird.)

And there was nothing dangerous about her move, or at least it shouldn't have been. It was my understanding that folks in the States have the option of homeschooling their little tykes, if they really want to tuck their kids away in a big, fluffy, reality-retardent cotton ball until they're old enough for college; parents should not have the right to ***** about a public school teacher exposing children to reality.

 

[Gloomsta]

I would rather not tell my kids santa is real.

I believe that is the kind of thing that sets up a trip wire for the kids, so when they grow up it seems like the world is less magical, but if they never knew such a thing then they wouldnt have to be upset over a thing like this.

 

[13thforswarn]

So let me get this straight. A teacher "ruined" Christmas for some eight year olds that a fat man in a red suit who travels around the world in a sleigh and leaves presents for kids is actually ficticious? That's ridiculous. The kids are going to get presents anyway, they're gonna spend Xmas with their family and friends and have a jolly old time regardless of whether they know Santa exists or not. How about someone teach them about Jesus, which is the reason there even is an Xmas.

 

[Berithil]

Believing in Santa Claus is not that big of a deal. It's just something fun that inspires fun little traditions for the kids, like leaving cookies and milk. I think the teacher should of tried to avoid the issue. I'm of the mind of "let kids be kids". Although eight years old is getting to that point where they should stop believing in it. Although, they could do what my parents did and say "Santa Claus did exist, in a way. His name was Saint Nicholas". I myself never really believed in the modern version of Santa, mainly due to the fact my parents would put presents under the tree half way through December.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

Is it wrong that I laughed when I read the thread title? I really don't think this is something parents should lie to their kids about in the first place, it's only setting them up for a dissapointing realisation in the future, one that they typically figure out on thier own rather than hearing it from someone that will break it to them a bit more gently. At best it's a mechanism set up to motivate kids to behave amicably out of their volition which fails anyway, as I would still act like an entitled, recalcitrant little shit all year long and still get something from 'Santa', which illustrate to me that I could still pull all of the shit that I did and could still be considered good. And when you tell them he doesn't exist, it removes any incentive to behave and creates a lingering sense of distrust towards the parents. This grudge won't last of course, but it still highlights the fact that there really is no benefit to upholding this lie. Innocence is not necessarily predicated on ignorence.

 

[Scarim Coral]

You know what the best soluation is (well if the class ask the teacher the same question in the future)? Not given them a straight answer or just say "I don't know" or "I can't tell you".

I mean yes the teacher was just being honest and clearly the parent shouldn't blame the teacher at all. Afterall the parent should of tell them the truth sooner or later or let them realise it on their own.

 

[Rodrigo Girao]

Kudos to the teacher for giving kids the TRUTH. Also, obligatory C&H:

 

[Devil_Worshipper]

Biggest gaggle of miserable fucks I've ever had the pleasure of reading from. Santa is still cool in my opinion, immortal being brings joy to kids regardless of nationality, race, creed, etc. Jesus may be the obvious hubris of the tradition, but Cringle has more personality.

Plus the "modern" look has roots in both the saint and motherfucking Odin.

 

[Maleval]

You know, when I started typing this response I wanted to do something deeply sarcastic about the parents finding this "offensive". Then I read the article. Now I'm very sad.