Teacher telling 7yo that Father Christmas not real

[Peaceandquietandacuppa]

Is it reasonable for a RE teacher to tell 7 year olds that Father Christmas isn’t real?

My 7 year old DS has just told me that his RE teacher told the class Father Christmas “isn’t real” today. He isn’t one to over-exaggerate. I asked if any of the kids prompted it by asking and he said no, she just said it.

If you think it’s unreasonable, would you say anything to the school?

YABU - teachers are fine to say FC is not real at the age of 7

YANBU - let the kids / parents decide if FC is real. Just don’t say anything!

If you don't have understand the difference and you are ok to personally attack people for the truth I would strongly suggest you take a good hated look in the mirror.

How absolutely ignorant of religious beliefs. From an atheist. I reported your slur

Ok dear.

I would want to throttle her with tinsel !!! What a horrid woman . I would tell your son she’s a silly woman who is like the grinch and not to listen to her . And if that got back to her so be it . She’s a nasty piece of joy sucking nastiness

Look, kids don't know if Santa is real and they don't know if their God is real (no matter which one they're made to worship by their parents).

They only know what their parents tell them about both of those things, so it's no-one else's place to tell them any different.

Ah bless.

Lovely personal attack for telling the truth and for the sensation equating a known lie to religious beliefs protected by law 😂😂😂😂😂

They were just being honest 🤷🏼‍♀️
I would have thought you'd approve.

An adult telling a kid that Father Christmas doesn't exist IS being a dick.

Seriously can you stop equating millennium long religion with a tall tale of a hundred years!

I am not lying to my child for a known lie. I do raise my atheist child to respect others religious beliefs.

Don't please ignorantly expect people to extend that courtesy to a known lie!

I am not lying to my child for a known lie

Nobody is telling you to 🤷🏼‍♀️

Can’t you just be nice because you know they are kids! Kids talk alsorts and most of the time I will just nod smile or ask them what they think. It’s not hard to be nice to a child.

you teach your kids to be courteous of religion and I feel this adds up to the same thing as this may not be a tale as old as time but you know it’s a cultural myth that makes some people happy.

Can you stop calling people dicks for telling the truth!

The hypocrisy is appalling.

Lying isn't nice and no I am not telling my child to include Santa with religion. If you can't understand the difference then I truly despair for the intelligence of the UK population.

Can you stop calling people dicks for telling the truth!

I'm not calling anyone a dick for telling the truth, I'm saying that explicitly telling a child (that's not your own child) that Father Christmas doesn't exist is dickish behaviour.

It might be honest but it's certainly not kind.

That's me being honest - see how it works both ways?

The hypocrisy is appalling.

Where have I been hypocritical?

What on earth are you banging on about?

It doesn't matter how long people hold beliefs, it doesn't actually make them true.

Belief in God is all about faith, so 'I believe God is real' is perfectly fine.

'God 100% categorically exists' obviously isn't fine.

I'm a lapsed Catholic and even the nuns and priests didn't used to claim God is 100% categorically real.

Hypocrisy is telling everyone to lie!

Santa is a lie 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️yes you are telling people to lie, omission is lying.

Are we not aware how telling everyone to be kind is gone it used to make women accept crap is the general societal understanding of that outdated phrase.

The fact you think it's okay to issue slurs on individuals promoting truth tells me everything I need to know. Being kind is more than you are probably capable of.

I was asked about how I approach religion. I said that religion is reconciliation in the law. Santa isn't.

Perhaps read previous posts before you insult someone!

You’re an angry old soul aren’t you! 😂😂😂

you are literally twisting words! My point was to you, you as an adult just be nice about others beliefs/culture etc and teach your kids to do the same! And as for religion and Santa i do believe it’s the same sort of preface (and I’m not stupid despite what you think), surly Santa is explained with the same rationale that some people believe in xyz and some don’t! As with many things some people believe in the Easter bunny or tooth fairy (my kids never did as it wasn’t something we did in our house), but I did make sure that they didn’t poo-poo others beliefs in such thing! you don’t have to lie to your kids but by being nice I mean (which I think you knew what I meant) is that we teach our kids to be tolerant of others beliefs whether that be religion or myths!

Why are you bringing the law into it?

You're really clutching at those straws, this is Mumsnet, not a work tribunal.

No I am a young bright honest happy individual who is patiently explaining basic morals to those who are operating in a hypocritical stance.

The fact you are aligning a known lie with beliefs held by millions is so disrespectful to those who hold religious beliefs.

You really are so locked into your hypocrisy it's astounding.

Hypocrisy is telling everyone to lie!

I haven't - hth

Santa is a lie 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️yes you are telling people to lie, omission is lying.

I know Santa is a lie. There are ways to talk to people that allow you to not ruin a small child's Christmas.
Nuance is important and useful.
Diplomacy is often a useful approach to keep society muddling along.

Are we not aware how telling everyone to be kind is gone it used to make women accept crap is the general societal understanding of that outdated phrase.

Nice try. I didn't use the phrase 'be kind'.
It a bit of stretch to suggest what I was saying can be equated to the treatment of women in society.
Kindness is still a nice quality. Purposefully saying something that you know is going to upset someone is not very nice.
Packaging it up as just honest doesn't actually make it any better.

The fact you think it's okay to issue slurs on individuals promoting truth tells me everything I need to know.
I'm sure it does, I'm okay with that.

I honestly (!) believe that purposefully ruining a child's Christmas makes that person a dick. You prize honestly at all costs over kindness and that tells me everything I need to know about you.

Being kind is more than you are probably capable of.

Funny how you're allowed to dish out the personal insults but you get upset when people do the same to you.
You keep mentioning hypocrisy, here's a perfect example.

No I am a young bright honest happy individual

Well your account appears to have been hacked by someone who comes across as quite the opposite.

I think this is the point we are all making, basic morals also extends to having some kindness and care to others, for example not deliberately telling young children that Santa isn't real because it suits your agender to portray yourself as some moral superior.

Have you not heard of saint Nicholas where the story of Santa comes from? Its not based on a lie. Much as the story of Jesus in the Bible, it began from some truth but again has then been adapted by story telling. It's actually the same basis. So while you can get on your moral high horse by the fact that children not adults believe in Santa, but can't seem to be upset by adults believing in a man with magical powers who lives in the sky is rather amusing. Maybe you should go into all the churches and preach about lying and morality.

You don’t have to be religious to be an RS teacher. Many of them are atheists. RS is a very different subject now than it used to be!

Because the law recognising something gives weight to it and shows the value through jurisdiction applies. Why the snarky question?

That's your opinion, going on your critical analysis skills displayed here it isn't exactly concerning.

Honestly I don't understand how you can't see the similarities here. To the point that I don't think you're being honest. Some people (sure only kids) believe in Santa. It's part of the culture of the majority of the country.
By the same token some people believe in God, it's part of their culture.
But yeah you're right that the law protects one, but do you really need the law to tell you not to do something unkind before you won't? The law doesn't tell you to hold a door open for the next person rather than let it swing shut in their face. Do you do that?