Teacher Tells Kids There Is No Santa Claus

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jillio said:
Santa must be a liberal. Otherwise he would be blaming Obama and OWS for the layoffs.
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Oh great! You done said it. Now koko will jump into this tread to rail against Obama! :giggle:
 
Turns out Mrs. Eng (The teacher) is 58 years old...... So maybe this ties into the whole "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" thing.
 
I think imagination and flights of fancy are an integral part of childhood. The idea that we, as parents, should always tell "the truth" breaks my heart. Children discover the truths as they grow and as they, themselves, are ready to move on to new stages. I have yet to meet any child entering their pre-pubescent years who still believes in Santa, the tooth fairy, or the idea that Cookie Monster or Mickey Mouse is "real", nor one that is tramautized or angry at their parents for allowing them to believe in such things. To curtail or not allow a child to indulge in fantasy, I believe, robs them of a wonderous and beneficial part of childhood. Grade two is certainly an age-appropriate year for children to believe in such things. I think supporting the idea of a teacher "busting myths" to keep things geographically accurate is a slippery slope and does not give elementary teachers enough credit to be able to stick with a curriculum and avoid controversial topics at the same time.
 
deafskeptic said:
Christmas has existed for at least three thousand years in various guises and the people celebrating it didn't need Stanta Claus to make it a season of giving and being merry. Our present day Christmas is based on the pagan holidays. Will Stanta be remembered one thousand years from now?
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I wouldn't say that. Christmas is known as "Christ's Mass". He didn't exist 3,000 years ago. It's the winter solstice that has existed for thousands of years.
 
Journey said:
I think imagination and flights of fancy are an integral part of childhood. The idea that we, as parents, should always tell "the truth" breaks my heart. Children discover the truths as they grow and as they, themselves, are ready to move on to new stages. I have yet to meet any child entering their pre-pubescent years who still believes in Santa, the tooth fairy, or the idea that Cookie Monster or Mickey Mouse is "real", nor one that is tramautized or angry at their parents for allowing them to believe in such things. To curtail or not allow a child to indulge in fantasy, I believe, robs them of a wonderous and beneficial part of childhood. Grade two is certainly an age-appropriate year for children to believe in such things. I think supporting the idea of a teacher "busting myths" to keep things geographically accurate is a slippery slope and does not give elementary teachers enough credit to be able to stick with a curriculum and avoid controversial topics at the same time.
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I always knew that Mickey Mouse was not real, yet it never stopped me from enjoying the cartoons. Same with all of the characters on Sesame Street. Yet it didn't put a dent in my imagination. Imagination is about forming new ideas and concepts that are not present to our senses.

Children did not imagine up Santa Claus, someone else did. Basically, people started to add more to the mythology of Santa Claus by writing poems, short stories and more. It started to get more popular back in the 19th century. However, it was never their intention to have the parents present him as a person who actually exists.
 
Banjo said:
I always knew that Mickey Mouse was not real, yet it never stopped me from enjoying the cartoons. Same with all of the characters on Sesame Street. Yet it didn't put a dent in my imagination. Imagination is about forming new ideas and concepts that are not present to our senses.

Children did not imagine up Santa Claus, someone else did. Basically, people started to add more to the mythology of Santa Claus by writing poems, short stories and more. It started to get more popular back in the 19th century. However, it was never their intention to have the parents present him as a person who actually exists.
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I didn't always think they were not real, but I know I figured out on my own eventually :). And I do agree that one aspect of imagination is forming new ideas and concepts but, I think, it's it's largely about building upon ones we already know.
 
I asked my daughter what does the tooth fairy do with my granddaufgter teeth and my daughter got upset with me ! My granddaughter is 6 yo she still believes in the tooth fairy and Santa. For some reason I thought my granddaughter knew who the 'tooth fairy' was. There is no harm in letting kids
believe in Santa , I think it only bad when the parents spoil their kids with too much junk for Christmas. No harm is done if there was jillio would have people lined up to see her!
 
Banjo said:
I always knew that Mickey Mouse was not real, yet it never stopped me from enjoying the cartoons. Same with all of the characters on Sesame Street. Yet it didn't put a dent in my imagination. Imagination is about forming new ideas and concepts that are not present to our senses.

Children did not imagine up Santa Claus, someone else did. Basically, people started to add more to the mythology of Santa Claus by writing poems, short stories and more. It started to get more popular back in the 19th century. However, it was never their intention to have the parents present him as a person who actually exists.
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Exactly. And we are not talking about 2 and 3 year olds, who by developmental stages, still engage in magical thinking. We are talking about 2nd graders who are at a completely different developmental stage.

And, it would seem, we are talking more about what the parents want than what is going on with the kids. But isn't that always the way?
 
TXgolfer said:
Turns out Mrs. Eng (The teacher) is 58 years old...... So maybe this ties into the whole "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" thing.
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What, exactly, does her age have to do with it? Another one of your "isms"?
 
jillio said:
That isn't history. That is religion. It is based on the birth of Christ.:roll:
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And as such, it belongs in Sunday school - not the classroom of public schools. If you don't like it, you (you in the generic sense as I am not speaking directly to jillio) free to enroll your kids in a private school that craters to your beliefs.
 
deafskeptic said:
And as such, it belongs in Sunday school - not the classroom of public schools. If you don't like it, you (you in the generic sense as I am not speaking directly to jillio) free to enroll your kids in a private school that craters to your beliefs.
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Exactly. If you want your kid to be taught religious concepts, put them in a parochial school. You have the freedom to make that choice and do exactly that.
 
Banjo said:
I wouldn't say that. Christmas is known as "Christ's Mass". He didn't exist 3,000 years ago. It's the winter solstice that has existed for thousands of years.
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Perhaps I should have said Saturnia or other pagan holidays instead of Christmas. :P
 
and this thread is still going on? :roll:
 
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