# Teacher tells children Santa Claus isn't real, is reprimanded **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 1, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411 "2018-12-01T20:27:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/101 "2018-12-04T00:21:57Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > And even after Santa False was exposed those kids still got presents. So I regret not my tormenting. So you admit that it was deliberate “tormenting,” and that you don’t regret it to this day. If you don’t regret something, that means you don’t think it is wrong. And your logic is “because they still got something I didn’t, it’s okay.” That logic would mean that it’s okay for poorer people to harass you and your family. You have more money than them. It means a homeless person can do whatever they want, since at least all those other people have a home. A criminal that steals from a big company has done nothing wrong, since the company still has a lot more money. None of this seems to fit what you’ve said before as your current beliefs. Heck, you’re cop, so I assume you’d stop any criminal stuff, rather than say it’s okay. So it seems to me that you just feel the need to defend your child self. But it’s perfectly fine to admit “You know, I was a little shit as a kid. I’m glad I’ve grown up and learned to care about other people.” In fact, that’s what I assumed your point was until you clarified. I mean, I did a lot of things I regret as a kid. I was a little shit towards my sister. The way I treated girls as I got a bit older was, in hindsight, quite creepy. And, yeah, I could feel the need to defend it as “nothing more than what kids do.” But, as an adult, I do realize those actions were wrong. I can be proud of something devious I did while also realizing 100% that it was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/102 "2018-12-04T00:38:44Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > Yep, we should only deal in facts: > > Kid: “My dad is a policeman” > > Teacher: “Nope, your dad is actually the mailman” Up here in Kanukistan, our mailmen are on strike. Does that mean that Santa cancelled Christmas? ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/103 "2018-12-04T00:57:17Z")
I find it hilarious that our religious relatives had no problem telling their kids when they’re older that Santa Clause isn’t real, and then can’t understand why their kids stopped being religious when they got older. “Yeah, we were lying when we told you about that invisible guy watching everything you do, but the other invisible guy watching everything you do, he’s totally real!” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/104 "2018-12-04T01:08:42Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > I find it hilarious that our religious relatives had no problem telling their kids when they’re older that Santa Clause isn’t real, and then can’t understand why their kids stopped being religious when they got older. > “Yeah, we were lying when we told you about that invisible guy watching everything you do, but the other invisible guy watching everything you do, he’s totally real!” I wrote a long Facebook post about this one last year. You can’t lie to kids about Santa and then be surprised when they don’t accept the truth of God. It’s crying wolf. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/105 "2018-12-04T02:00:39Z")
The Santa myth is basically ‘My First Religion!’ for kids. Easy to understand, not too complicated, very simple actions/consequences - ie - ‘Be good - get presents’. Plus early introduction to prayers (writing letters to Santa, asking for stuff). The scary thing is the ‘Watching over you all the time’ - hey, but that’s the basis of much of Christianity. Then a little hand-waving from parents about inconsistencies such as: ‘How come the kid from the rich family down the road gets better presents than me from Santa?’ and ‘How come the school bully - who we all KNOW has been bad - still gets presents?’. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/106 "2018-12-04T02:24:49Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > HOW it is handled makes a big difference in how traumatic it is. My husband was pretty devastated–enough that we raised our son to understand Santa was about as real as Batman, and by the time he was in Kindergarten he was very clear about it. Great, so I got to find out that neither Santa nor Batman are real in the same thread. So much for my possibly being taken off of suicide watch tomorrow.☹ ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/107 "2018-12-04T03:03:58Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > So you admit that it was deliberate “tormenting,” and that you don’t regret it to this day. If you don’t regret something, that means you don’t think it is wrong. And your logic is “because they still got something I didn’t, it’s okay.” [Cool it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6cxNR9ML8k), would ya? We’re reminiscing about shit a 7 year old did in 1967. If I really wanted to irk you I’d tell you about my summer of '69. Whoa!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/108 "2018-12-04T05:40:33Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Can’t agree. The Santa myth teaches children that they get presents depending on how good they are. So if the a kid in their class didn’t get any presents, it’s not because of poverty or crappy parents who didn’t care about them or parents who had different values to impart - it’s because that child was bad. Extrapolation says that the kid(s) getting the most presents was best. That’s a horrible lesson to teach children. Very [Prosperity Gospel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology). Please. If anything in inoculates them early from a ‘if you’re good a fairy sees it and you get presents, if you’re bad a fairy sees it and you get punished’. My mind boggles the standard Christmas stuff is actually supported by the Christian faithful. That fat man is a Rolly-Polly insult to their entire belief structure. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/109 "2018-12-04T05:50:31Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > My mind boggles the standard Christmas stuff is actually supported by the Christian faithful. That fat man is a Rolly-Polly insult to their entire belief structure. [Jesus vs Santa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olMsAy8HTUo) ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/110 "2018-12-04T07:02:58Z")
I’ve always thought these discussions about Santa are, at the end of the day, solely about religion. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/111 "2018-12-04T11:35:48Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > If I really wanted to irk you I’d tell you about my summer of '69. Whoa!:eek: What year did that happen? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/112 "2018-12-04T12:10:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > What year did that happen? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Modesty\_Blaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Modesty\_Blaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modesty_Blaise)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/113 "2018-12-04T14:51:12Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > I’ve always thought these discussions about Santa are, at the end of the day, solely about religion. It sure seems like it. I always wonder why it’s so important that they perpetuate the Santa myth. And why be so defensive about your choice to perpetuate it? I’ve had people get angry with me for not participating in this cultural phenomenon. I really don’t understand why people get so invested in the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/114 "2018-12-04T14:59:30Z")
> [@Modesty\_Blaise](#): > > It sure seems like it. I always wonder why it’s so important that they perpetuate the Santa myth. And why be so defensive about your choice to perpetuate it? I’ve had people get angry with me for not participating in this cultural phenomenon. I really don’t understand why people get so invested in the whole thing. I’m not religious, I would be angry at the teacher who did this to a first grade class. We celebrate Christmas and Chanukah in our house. No religious overtones on Xmas side, just the season of giving and family. I enjoy the lights and the tree. My wife or children these days, read a simple prayer as they light the candles. We enjoy it and the kids enjoyed the Santa myth. I’m also happy enough with all the old pagan rituals that Christmas absorbed. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/115 "2018-12-04T15:09:01Z")
> [@Modesty\_Blaise](#): > > It sure seems like it. I always wonder why it’s so important that they perpetuate the Santa myth. And why be so defensive about your choice to perpetuate it? I’ve had people get angry with me for not participating in this cultural phenomenon. I really don’t understand why people get so invested in the whole thing. For me it would have zero to do with you participating or not participating in the charade but you deciding what’s best for my child? That is a disrespectful top me and my children and I wouldn’t have it. We’d have been rolling on the ground if you (or anyone else) did something like that in front of me. ---
**Author:** ![Modesty\_Blaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Modesty\_Blaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modesty_Blaise)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/116 "2018-12-04T15:19:15Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > For me it would have zero to do with you participating or not participating in the charade but you deciding what’s best for my child? That is a disrespectful top me and my children and I wouldn’t have it. > We’d have been rolling on the ground if you (or anyone else) did something like that in front of me. 😕 Something like what? In front of you? Please explain. I’ve stated that I have no judgement about this. I have not disrespected you, your kids or anyone else on this subject. I really do not understand the anger attached to defending the perpetuation of the myth. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/117 "2018-12-04T15:22:16Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > For me it would have zero to do with you participating or not participating in the charade but you deciding what’s best for my child? I agree that is the point. The thread has devolved into a “Santa good/Santa bad” discussion but the real problem is a teacher saying to a bunch of first graders, “What your parents are telling you is wrong.” Santa is not a subject in school so the teacher should just let it alone and get back to math and social studies. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/118 "2018-12-04T15:41:28Z")
> [@Modesty\_Blaise](#): > > 😕 > > Something like what? In front of you? Please explain. > > I’ve stated that I have no judgement about this. I have not disrespected you, your kids or anyone else on this subject. > > I really do not understand the anger attached to defending the perpetuation of the myth. I wasn’t really using “you” as in YOU. I was referring back to the teacher and quite a few people in this thread defending those teachers actions. Is Santa (as gets celebrated today) a myth, of course. But as a parent, I get to choose when to tell my kids that it is so (assuming I celebrate Christmas) the parental From my perspective, the teacher is disrespecting the parents decisions and should be reprimanded for that. Nothing at all to do with religion ---
**Author:** ![Modesty\_Blaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Modesty\_Blaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modesty_Blaise)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/119 "2018-12-04T16:00:28Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > I wasn’t really using “you” as in YOU. I was referring back to the teacher and quite a few people in this thread defending those teachers actions. > > Is Santa (as gets celebrated today) a myth, of course. But as a parent, I get to choose when to tell my kids that it is so (assuming I celebrate Christmas) > the parental > From my perspective, the teacher is disrespecting the parents decisions and should be reprimanded for that. > > Nothing at all to do with religion Thank you for clarifying. 🙂 I agree that the teacher was out of line. My disagreement is with the proposed punishment. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411/120 "2018-12-04T22:23:15Z")
Folks who are mad about parents who tell their kids Santa is real: have you ever heard how some rightwing Christians talk about reading Harry Potter, and how it endangers children by luring them with the fantasy of magic, and blah blah blah? You know how irritating that is? How you might think, “Dude, it’s harmless pretend and doesn’t hurt anyone, shut up with your weird moralizing about it”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teacher-tells-children-santa-claus-isnt-real-is-reprimanded/825411.md?page=7)