Grinchy remark sends kids home in tears

[Iolaus]

http://www.ldnews.com/fastsearchresults/ci_3334327

Can you believe this teacher? If the kids were older, I can see the substitute teacher clarifying where the Santa story came from, but 6 and 7 year olds? ...I hope she gets blackballed in that district; she doesn't belong anywhere near kids that young, she doesn't have the common sense God gave a two year old!

[John M.]

Heard this story a day or two ago.
Have to say I feel the same way you do.

[Big Dave]

The teacher seems to be upset by something that probably happened to her when she was a kid. Maybe 'her' parents lied about Santa, and now she sees' this as her job to right the wrongs of parents, by telling their kids the truth about Santa. Who cares if kids believe in Santa, they eventualy learn later on in life that it is just a story, but a nice on at that. I don't believe in Santa, and my kids know that we (the parents) bring them gifts, not him, but that's the way I was brought up and thats how I'm bringing up my kids. But there is 'no way' I would ever tell a kid(s) who believes in Santa, that he's not real. That's for them and their parents to deal with, not some pissed off person who dossn't understand what it's like to be a kid. But that's my opinion.

[Shay]

If you're curious, the teacher later wrote the paper a letter:

http://www.ldnews.com/fastsearchresults/ci_3334340

I think she sounds a bit looney, but no worse than a lot of folks around the holidays. And she has a point in that maybe the public schools shouldn't be having lessons about Santa as through he is a real person. She seems pretty religious herself, so I would guess she knows it when she sees it- she asks if we're going to teach about Sanata, why not teach about Jesus as well?

[Livingston]

@#%*^&*%^$**)($^&%!%!$*(^

Now that that's out. Why has no one in the last 55 years told ME that Santa died!?! I hope neither of my sisters or my parents hear about that. We ALL believe there is a Santa....and he's part of each and every one of us helping to spread happiness and joy at this time of year.

On another note.....Moore did not write it, he claimed it was his. It does not match the style of anything he ever wrote. It was written 15 years earlier by Major Henry Livingston Jr.

http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/summary.htm

[Livingston]

If you're curious, the teacher later wrote the paper a letter:

http://www.ldnews.com/fastsearchresults/ci_3334340

I think she sounds a bit looney, but no worse than a lot of folks around the holidays. And she has a point in that maybe the public schools shouldn't be having lessons about Santa as through he is a real person. She seems pretty religious herself, so I would guess she knows it when she sees it- she asks if we're going to teach about Sanata, why not teach about Jesus as well?

That sounds like a good idea. Jesus was also an historical person so it only makes sense to teach about Him.

[bubba]

Farisi is just one more in a long line of cretins that take great delight in sucking the joy and magic out of life and replacing it with broken dreams and a grey uniformity. And if we're going to fall back into religion teach about Mithra too. After all, December 25th was his day long before Chrisianity. Some people are pagans y'know.

[Livingston]

Sorry Bubba. That teacher just got my goat. I went to a parochial high school where we actually studied many religions including Chrisitanity, Judism, Hinduism, paganism, and others. (VERY enlightend for the Catholic Church in the 60's) Many of the pivitol persons in each of the "mainstream" religions were historical and not just name made up by someone. As such, they should all be included in history books and classes in school so that kids these days can learn where some of our laws and customs come from, including those based on paganism. Many of the religious customs come from the various pagan religions of the time they were started.

Darn...there I go again, getting on the soap box. Enough Greg...go home.

[Colin]

From the letter the teacher (?) wrote to the newspaper:

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.

So there's the problem. Instead of realizing that public figures (politicians, teachers, reporters, etc) should be seen as impartial in the eyes of the public, this loon has decided to use her position of power to preach her believes to people forced to listen to her.

As a parent, I would be quite upset if some flake ruined my childrens dreams. Yes it's a fake story, but why do my kids need to face the real world at such a young age. We have long enough to see the ugly side of life, but all too short a time to truly enjoy the magic of youth. Kids will always find out the truth later in life, but I doubt they will be bitter at being lied to, but will rather enjoy the experiences of their childhood.

Sounds to me like someone got a lump of coal in her stocking as a child.

[Livingston]

Wonder what she would answer to a child, not hers, that asked where babies came from? Or how they got there? As a parent, Grandparent, and religious myself, I see absolutly nothing wrong with either the stork or the story. If she feels that way about The Night Before Christmas she should have just changed the lesson plan for the day and it go.