New York Teacher Tells Kids There Is No Santa Claus

[ace_of_something]

to answer your question why lie to your kids with fairy tale in this day/age anymore? Hell I am 26 years old what's the point of covering up and making the world seem all happy sparkles when some one would stab you in the back over a f**** pizza or just walk out on his wife after 24 years of marriage saying "i'm done". Giving kids false hope and letting them pretend life is an okay world is what's b.s. but hey this is how I feel.

Why not? Yeah, some people are jerks. I know, I'm a police officer I've seen them every day for 10 years now more than you probably have or ever will.
You know what else I see? People that help kids who've been in horrible car accident, sit there with a complete stranger and comfort them as they're dying.
I've seen old couples who have been married for 72 years but still aren't afraid to hold hands as they shuffle down the street.
People stand up to crazy motherfuckers attacking someone they don't even know.
People who work 40 hours a week and still find time to volunteer at a homeless shelter for a few hours a week.
Even though I've seen the worst things people do to each other I know there are a lot more people getting by in life minding their business and trying to be a good person.

So you know what? People who want to think about all the doom in gloom can go right ahead and think that. Just don't try to drag everyone else down and ruin a kid's chance to be optimistic because you think you were 'lied to by the world' and never grew up to realize that the good things are worth celebrating.

 

[ace_of_something]

The teacher is supposed to say "You'll have to talk to your parents about that." My wife is a teacher and kids ask her theological questions all the time. These are her stock answers. Kids ask her if she thinks santa is real (she teaches 10-11 year olds so a lot of them don't believe in santa at that point) she says "I just don't know. It's a mystery isn't it? I'd talk to your parents. I'd bet they'd know!"
I'll repeat it again.

If your wife answers that to the question of whether she thinks that santa is real then she is not answering the question (unless she really are in doubt).
The correct answer (in my case at least and most adults, I don't know what your wife believes) would be: "No. Santa doesn't exist". This is what I think about santa and that would be my answer.

Yeah, that's my point she CAN'T answer the question.
She doesn't answer the question because TEACHERS CAN'T TEACH ANYTHING RELIGIOUS IN SCHOOL. They have a horrible tendency to get fired for it.
That includes teaching that a religious belief or particular holiday belief is "wrong."
[a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state] Separation of Church and State[/a] isn't just not teaching religion in schools. It's also making sure not teach kids 'what you're parents believe and are telling you is absolutely wrong.'
You can't force anti-theism any more than you can any other religion.

Jeez.

 

[Devil's Due]

I find it sad that I, a 17 year old teenager, understand the difference between a white lie and harmful lies better than most of the apparent adults here.

There is no such thing as a "white lie" and a "harmful lie," all lies are lies, plain and simple. Lying can be used as a shield to preserve life or as a sword to end it, it matters what you take from it and how you use it. You really think all those failures on American Idol believed within themselves 100% that they were outstanding singers? No, their family fed them lies to avoid the subject that they may not be that great.

When lying to someone, you undermine your trust, regardless how minor it is. This is why I outright refuse to lie to someone unless absolutely necessary to save a life like I had in the past. If anyone were to lie to me, they'd lose all their trust they've accumulated thus far until redeemed, regardless how small or trivial they consider it.

I'm only an 18 year old, and I am disgusted by liars.

As for the thread: Santa isn't real, why pretend he is? Teach them the morals of family, giving, and donating for the holidays like you would without the lies. That's as absurd as telling the kids at baseball games the mascots are real people, and every cartoon on TV is a real event, simply because you don't want to make it "less special." They already know it's fake, and they still love it. Santa can be the same way.

 

[sharpsheppard]

The teacher is supposed to say "You'll have to talk to your parents about that." My wife is a teacher and kids ask her theological questions all the time. These are her stock answers. Kids ask her if she thinks santa is real (she teaches 10-11 year olds so a lot of them don't believe in santa at that point) she says "I just don't know. It's a mystery isn't it? I'd talk to your parents. I'd bet they'd know!"
I'll repeat it again.
Not the teacher's place to say.

Yes, it is ok to let kids believe in santa, the tooth fairy, what have you it's called childhood where things can and do feel more magical. There is no reason to crush a kid's sense of wonder and fun. The world will do it soon enough.

It's not the same as out and out lying it's playing pretend. It's not to dissimilar as going into the backyard with your kid and playing space pirates or telling them ghost stories while camping. Letting your kid decide when they want to stop believing is enough.

Lighten the hell up people. Why so jaded?

to answer your question why lie to your kids with fairy tale in this day/age anymore? Hell I am 26 years old what's the point of covering up and making the world seem all happy sparkles when some one would stab you in the back over a f**** pizza or just walk out on his wife after 24 years of marriage saying "i'm done". Giving kids false hope and letting them pretend life is an okay world is what's b.s. but hey this is how I feel.

Where the hell do you live that you will get stabed for a pizza?

 

[Lilani]

What a killjoy. How on earth do you get to be an elementary school teacher and not have the willingness to play along for the sake of letting them be kids?

 

[RagTagBand]

Can't say I see a problem with what the Teacher did, If their parents have a problem with their kids learning the truth about reality then what in sweet fuck are they sending them to school for? Isn't that the purpose of School? To educate and inform children about the world as accurately as possible?

I know Humanity has a bunch of Pet myths they like to keep around, Santa, the Tooth fairy, Religion, the idea that everyone is special, but get a fucking grip. A Teachers primary purpose is to dispel myths and communicate the truth to the best of their abilities, They should not have to, nor be expected to, pander to your horse-shit.

If you want to lie to your children and present something as fact that you know is fiction, be my guest, they're your spawn. But don't be pissed off if someone who isn't you doesn't want to lie nor omit the truth for your fairytales sake, especially if it is their job to cut through the crap you've taught them.

If your Christmases are so soul crushing that you have to rely on folk lore to make them exciting then your kids finding out that the folk lore isn't actually true is the least of your problems.

 

[Epona]

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:<

If an 8 year old kid asks the teacher to explain sex, should the teacher "be honest" and do it or should the teacher refuse to discuss the subject?

The latter is what should have happened here. Santa is like religion, You could claim religious beliefs are lies too because they lack proof but then you miss the point of religion.

 

[ike42]

I've raised my 3 kids with the knowledge that there is no Santa.

Just as a comparison to what many are claiming here, do any of them show any lack of happiness or imagination? I personally doubt that they've been affected by not being lied to in any negative way.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Do any kids ever really believe in Santa? I never did.

 

[Kair]

Fox News is acting on bias again and using imbecilic rhetoric.

 

[Kuroneko97]

I'm confused as to why the kids are getting a pissed off, more at why the PARENTS and NANNIES and GRANDMOTHERS are even more riled up.

So your kid learned that some fat guy doesn't break into your home once a year. So what? Just remind them they still get presents and, if they're not the family hating kind, remind them they're with their family.

Besides, the kids are going to learn someday. All this is going to do is make them prematurely cynical like me.

Although I find this story a bit questionable, as it's coming from Fox News.

 

[Abedeus]

...8 years old and still believes in Santa.

I stopped believing when I was 5, proved it by 7. Stayed all night, placed tiny strings around windows (I live in a block, so we don't have a chimney), and guess what, nothing tripped them. The only tripped wires were at the door, but I didn't use strong materials so they just snapped when my dad came with presents.

 

[chadachada123]

The teacher is supposed to say "You'll have to talk to your parents about that." My wife is a teacher and kids ask her theological questions all the time. These are her stock answers. Kids ask her if she thinks santa is real (she teaches 10-11 year olds so a lot of them don't believe in santa at that point) she says "I just don't know. It's a mystery isn't it? I'd talk to your parents. I'd bet they'd know!"
I'll repeat it again.

If your wife answers that to the question of whether she thinks that santa is real then she is not answering the question (unless she really are in doubt).
The correct answer (in my case at least and most adults, I don't know what your wife believes) would be: "No. Santa doesn't exist". This is what I think about santa and that would be my answer.

Yeah, that's my point she CAN'T answer the question.
She doesn't answer the question because TEACHERS CAN'T TEACH ANYTHING RELIGIOUS IN SCHOOL. They have a horrible tendency to get fired for it.
That includes teaching that a religious belief or particular holiday belief is "wrong."
[a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state] Separation of Church and State[/a] isn't just not teaching religion in schools. It's also making sure not teach kids 'what you're parents believe and are telling you is absolutely wrong.'
You can't force anti-theism any more than you can any other religion.

Jeez.

However, it is absolutely appropriate for a teacher to show that parents can lie to you, and that you shouldn't believe what your parents say just because they say it.

What age and to what extent that should be shown is up to debate, sure, but I guess that's the purpose of this thread.

 

[chadachada123]

You guys might be okay with the fact the kids learned the truth behind Santa.. but really I don't think it's okay. Teacher shouldn't get in trouble, but the children are only around 8 so perhaps the parents like to extend Christmas. I remember I was 14ish when Santa still was a big miracle worker in my life when Christmas came around.

I am really surprised (and slightly ashamed) about the majority of the reactions here. Kids already have to grow up to fast in my opinion and most just want to sped this up. Give kids a childhood in where impossible things look possible.

Let kids be kids and let parents decide when they tell the truth about santa claus , easter bunnies , fairies and all else mystical.

all those people saying you should all tell the truth to kids from the start reminds me of a stand-up comedian:

(after he was told santa claus was fake) I decided to tell the truth to my kids. So standing above the box i should be like there is no santa claus , no tooth fairy. To be honest you will live 18 years before finding out you are a complete loser and will fail in life whatever you try to do until you die. So let's just take out the middle road , hammer a board on the top of your crib throw it in a hole and cover it with dirt. easy ..

There's a big difference between allowing childhood innocence and openly lying and ENCOURAGING a belief in false things. Those kind of lies cause kids to distrust adults or parents or people in power, since they will lie about something as innocuous as Santa, will try to convince you that Santa exists.

 

[Stravant]

Thi might just be me, but the concept of Santa's always disturbed me

If the songs are to be believed, here's what Santa is.

An old man who spies on small children, even when they're sleeping, and then one day during Christmas he breaks into your house, again, WHILE YOU ARE SLEEPING.

Usually this kind of behavior would be met with a restraining order.

 

[Teimuraz]

I feel sorry for teacher

 

[Epona]

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:<

If an 8 year old kid asks the teacher to explain sex, should the teacher "be honest" and do it or should the teacher refuse to discuss the subject?

The latter is what should have happened here. Santa is like religion, You could claim religious beliefs are lies too because they lack proof but then you miss the point of religion.

Let's see... is sex considered inappropriate for kids of that age? How about... yes.

Is the truth about Santa inappropriate at any age? Let's see... no.

Ok then. If a kid asked the teacher "Is there a God". What would the teacher do? Would he "be honest" and say that there is no scientific proof of a God or would he refuse to discuss it?