Grinchy remark sends kids home in tears

[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.

[Shay]

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.

Off topic- really? I honestly didn't know people told their kids that the stork brought them! The stork was always presented to us as some weird jokey thing- I never got what it was supposed to be about, since storks don't live around here at all.

Eh, my daughter loves anatomy books (when mommy's an antiquarian, you get weird books in the house) and has a bazillion questions while I was pregnant, so she knows all about where babies come from. :rolleyes:

I don't mind dodges like, "Santa embodies the spirit of Christmas," or, "The department store Santa is actually a helper," or even "Yes, Santa is real the world over," but I would hope if a kid asked me straight-out for the truth I'd tell it.

If my daughter (or eventually, my son) asks me frankly and calmly if Santa is a real live person who lives at the North Pole and actually comes down chimneys to deliver toys, of course I'd say no, that Santa is a symbol of giving and something we should aspire to. Now that she's growing up and doesn't have to depend on a real Santa, it's her job to bring a little Santa to the world in her own special way.

(I think this might be the year, she's very suspicious that Santa could come in the house and not wake our bark-o-rama dog)