New York Teacher Tells Kids There Is No Santa Claus

[ike42]

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.

Interesting. Did you feel like you missed out on anything by having your parents not lie to you?

 

[101flyboy]

My opinion: Welcome to reality, boys and girls.

 

[ike42]

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.

This was effectively what I was saying that I do. At Thanksgiving my brother's in-laws all hold hands and pray, I just walk into the living room and wait it out. I don't bring it up and avoid the questions if the kids ask.

 

[Kotaro]

Seriously? Since when is a teacher educating their students considered news?

 

[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.

Interesting. Did you feel like you missed out on anything by having your parents not lie to you?

nah, i liked knowing the truth, because i knew my hopes and dreams would never be crushed by my parents, or teachers blurting out the stuff above. however, it did make me a cynic, and a bit of a misanthrope.

 

[ike42]

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.

The bit about homeschooling so as not to expose one's children to reality made me chuckle a bit. You see, most parents who choose to home-school their kids do so because they are ultra religious. That being said though, many highly religious people don't pretend there is a Santa because it takes away from the Jebus talk.

 

[SeanTheBlueSheep]

What.
How could they say that? Santa is real!

OT: While it is a lie, I don't think it's in any way wrong. It's sweet to see kids who really believe in Santa, and I don't think that should be taken away from them. Childish innocence is something that should be preserved, and yes, every child should learn about Santa at some point, but on their own terms.

 

[ike42]

Seriously? Since when is a teacher educating their students considered news?

Well it was on Fox News...I'm just saying.

Seriously though I found the story because I read Google news on my phone every morning and it popped up. I am not a Fox News robot.

 

[BiggDoggJake]

I would have loved to be there to have seen their faces, it would have been priceless.

http://myfacewhen.com/161/

 

[ike42]

What.
How could they say that? Santa is real!

OT: While it is a lie, I don't think it's in any way wrong. It's sweet to see kids who really believe in Santa, and I don't think that should be taken away from them. Childish innocence is something that should be preserved, and yes, every child should learn about Santa at some point, but on their own terms.

I don't think childish innocence needs to be manufactured by making up lies. There's plenty of mystery in the world already without having to make any up.

 

[Eggsnham]

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

I've forgotten how much I love Calvin and Hobbes. I might have to go dig up some of my old C&H comic books later. Thanks!

OT: Who cares? Sure, part of the reason that Christmas is so awesome when you're young is because of the whole Santa Claus thing, but I learned the truth when I was eight. And I asked, it wasn't like the truth was thrust upon me.

Pretty sure my brother figured it out when he was eight too.

I personally don't see a huge problem here, 8-10 years old seems to be the standard age for that realization.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

And THIS is why (if I ever make the mistake of having kids) I will tell my future kids that Santa is NOT an actual person, but rather an IDEA.

Or tell them that there WAS a Santa a looong looong time ago, and that the whole modern Santa thing is just a way of remembering his generosity etc, etc, etc.

Basic concept still holds, kid still gets that nice feeling (more or less), and they aren't crushed when they find out that Santa isn't an actual living person.

 

[ike42]

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.

Not true, Christmas is a holiday that was actually taken from the Pagans. While biblical "scholars" tend to make the argument that Jesus was born in the spring, the holiday was put in December to coincide with the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice. So really, without Jesus there would be a Christmas, it would just be called something different...probably.

 

[Ghaleon640]

A lot of the people here are saying that being 'lied to' is this terrible thing. They are eight years old. Its almost impossible to NOT lie to them continually at that age.

I think that the teacher should have had the sense of not screwing around with that sort of thing. The reason it hit the news was because 'gasp' some people, (right or wrong) would make a fuss of it. Should have seen it coming.

 

[SeanTheBlueSheep]

What.
How could they say that? Santa is real!

OT: While it is a lie, I don't think it's in any way wrong. It's sweet to see kids who really believe in Santa, and I don't think that should be taken away from them. Childish innocence is something that should be preserved, and yes, every child should learn about Santa at some point, but on their own terms.

I don't think childish innocence needs to be manufactured by making up lies. There's plenty of mystery in the world already without having to make any up.

How much of the mystery in the world do would they be able to understand though?
How do you expect a child to get excited about faster than light neutrinos, or seismic gap theory?
Besides, the mystery isn't the issue, it's the joy they get from the idea of someone doing impossible things

 

[Sonicron]

The bit about homeschooling so as not to expose one's children to reality made me chuckle a bit. You see, most parents who choose to home-school their kids do so because they are ultra religious. That being said though, many highly religious people don't pretend there is a Santa because it takes away from the Jebus talk.

I'm well aware of that. Still, it's an option for everybody, not just the ultrareligious... people. (Damn, it's difficult keeping the vitriol in check today.)
I understand why most folks don't want to go that route - after all, 'public' school is just that, it's everybody's school. But come on, these parents cannot be considered to be even remotely in the right, especially when you remember that, at its most basic level, school (as an institution) is an academic community, and as cute as make-believe may be, it has no place there.

Edit: Have a nice evening, I'm off to (ironically) a Christmas party.

 

[ike42]

What.
How could they say that? Santa is real!

OT: While it is a lie, I don't think it's in any way wrong. It's sweet to see kids who really believe in Santa, and I don't think that should be taken away from them. Childish innocence is something that should be preserved, and yes, every child should learn about Santa at some point, but on their own terms.

I don't think childish innocence needs to be manufactured by making up lies. There's plenty of mystery in the world already without having to make any up.

How much of the mystery in the world do would they be able to understand though?
How do you expect a child to get excited about faster than light neutrinos, or seismic gap theory?
Besides, the mystery isn't the issue, it's the joy they get from the idea of someone doing impossible things

I think you misunderstand: basically everything is mysterious to kids. The magic is in the discovery, at least it was to me. Besides, lets be honest, kids are less interested in who brings their presents than the actual receipt of them.

 

[imnot]

Bleh, Christmas would be better without this commercialism anyway.

...

Oh god, I'm becoming cynical DX

Its happening to me too!
I blame the escapist, all the 'humans suck' threads must be getting into my mind!

Edit: Have a nice evening, I'm off to (ironically) a Christmas party.

A christmas party!?!?! ON THE 3RD!
What the hell is this crap!?

 

[Therumancer]

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?

I don't care for it, as it sucks a lot of magic out of the holidays and the innocence from childhood.

That said, it's better than say running this video in history class and saying it's true... the equivilent of schoolhouse rock intended to teach about Santa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGlUMvbhSw