Posted on 12/26/2005 8:11:14 AM PST by Conservatrix
To the Editor:
"Last week I substituted at a local elementary school in Lebanon County. The lesson plan required me to read the 1882 poem “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore to two classes of students. 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.
No public school teacher should be required to teach a belief, or custom, or religion that he or she believes to be false, or be required to pass those purported falsehoods onto impressionable children, without the right to state a disclaimer. Furthermore, freedom of speech and religion, no matter how unpopular the speech or against cultural norms the religion, are protected rights under the Constitution of the United States. A secular public school should not be propagating any kind of religion. The belief in Santa Claus as a divine, magical, omniscient, powerful, giving, loving father-figure, to which children are taught to make supplications and requests, is a religion indeed-- a distorted substitute for the Judeo-Christian God; a false form of Christianity; a zealously-protected American idol.
In presenting the poem, I gave the children quick historical background about the Santa Claus myth-- its evolution from the historic Nickolaus, Bishop of Myrna in Asia Minor, who died in 343 A.D., to its amalgamation with ancient Western pagan traditions of German, Scandinavian and Dutch origins, to the current manifestation in the secular Christmas culture of today. (Dutch children, for example, would put their wooden shoes out at night for “Sante Klaus” to fill with candies.)
The current Santa Claus figure was popularized in the late 19th Century by artist Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly Magazine, who depicted “Saint Nick,” not as an elf, but a rotund, pipe-smoking man in a red and white suit. This is the deity to which countless public school children today are taught to make supplications, and about whom they sing their many songs at annual public school Christmas programs.
If people are upset about the revelation to children that Santa Claus is a myth-- which all children who are taught this lie find or figure out eventually-- perhaps it is because Santa is that zealously-guarded idol of their own modern religion. Therefore, as a religion, let Santa be kept out of the public school classroom (no more “Dear Santa” letters to line those school hallways)--or perhaps, in the interest of “diversity,” make his mythical, oversized personage share equal representation in literature, and song, and Christmas programs, with the other Person of the season: the Lord Jesus Christ, God made flesh, God with us."
Santa came to my house, did he come to yours? :-)
Near as I can figure that post was made on the morning before Christmas at 8AM PST. The thread was not a "wonderful Christmas morning thread". It was a playful pre Christmas thread with a jet airplane theme. What's wrong with you?
Since you were making such a big deal out of Howlin's post I went and took a look at it. I've come to the conclusion you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Why aren't you ranting about the post that appeared prior to Howlin's showing the Iranian's had shot down Santa's sleigh (with pic). Methinks you protesteth too much about Howlin and specifically about her.
Your looking to be offended and your 8 year old took her cue from your reaction.
I'm glad to see someone else noticed that post (it was to me) was made Saturday morning.
Spelling, spelling, spelling!
You're looking
(SC you really do know better!)
Thanks, you all; I'm not sure what this is about; frankly, I don't think I want to know.......LOL.
FR is not a children-friendly site, regardless of the thread. I would never let my little brother near it.
Some people are easily offended, I guess.
I thought it was hilarious.........I also went directly to the provided link for the tracking of Santa that was provided.........she was not reading the thread on FR.
That's it? I don't think it's particularly funny but I don't see any reason to freak out about it. And what does all that have to do with this thread anyway? Aren't we supposed to be talking about the stupid teacher?
GASP!
My 9 year old dog saw this! You fiend!
Hi Howlin. :)
Happy New Year!
I just read your essay; I love it. Plain and simple.
Moron! She had no right, absolutely none to destroy the dreams little children have about Christmas and Santa. She has shattered the magic illusion that swirls around young minds during Christmas times.
Everyone finds out eventually that Santa doesn't exist, that it's a mythological figure, and that Santa is none other than mom and dad buying presents and hiding them from the children. They are the ones who spend long hours at night wrapping them while children sleep so they won't find out. And when those same children find out the truth once they get older, you know what - they keep the same tradition. Almost everyone – young, old, man, woman - participate in this kind of silent conspiracy about Santa. We all talk about Santa as if he existed, and we ask little children... what did Santa get you for Christmas? And everyone goes alone, because we all know that it's a magic dream, and this dream will stay with us until we die, even though we eventually find out it wasn't so.
You idiot, you had no right to do that! You were supposed to substitute and to read the lesson plan “The Night Before Christmas.” It wasn't your duty to tell little children what your beliefs are or how much you are offended by it. You were there to read to them and that was it.
I hope she doesn't get to teach again.
she was not reading the thread on FR.
should read: my 7yo old was not reading it on FR.
That's it. And I thought we were talking about the teacher, too.
But as I'm sure you know by now, lots of people at FR have very different agendas than the rest of us.........LOL.
Hey, Jrabbit; good to see you, too.
I hope after the holidays, we can find us a good old trial to get addicted to!
We can always hope!
My daughters are 9 and most of their classmates (including my daughters) still believe.
It isn't. All she was supposed to do is read "Twas the Night Before Christmas". All she had to do was read it. She didn't have to say she believed it or not. If someone asked her beliefs, she could have told the kid that she keeps that to her self. If they asked if it was true, she could have told them to talk to their parents.
Well, then she should know to let the parents tell the kids.
Sigh...yes, unfortunately, they do. Apparently they have nothing better to do with their time.
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