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!

Why?

The burden of proof always lies with the person making the claim that something exists or happened.

I do try and be kind to small children. I imagine that most people do.

Of course it doesn't. Every child (usually by the age of 9 or 10 at the very latest) discovers one way or another. They will have heard from other kids and probably already had suspicions of their own. If hearing that Santa isn't real ruins Christmas for children, then we must presume that every child will forever be inconsolable on 25th December. This is not at all the case and, once the truth is out, children continue to want to eat chocolates for breakfast and rip their presents open.

@ThatIsNotMyNameSoWhyAreYouCallingMeThat 😂😂😂😂

That teacher is a spoilsport! No need to say that. Do they say God isn't real too?

Possibly.

I’d say the issue is with the adult who doesn’t have to spoil it for a child who believes and is excited about it.

And as I have said several times no. People don't have to be kind that is such a passive aggressive thinking always thrown at women!

You're clutching at straws here @Marblesbackagain . This is not a feminist issue. It's a human one. At no point have I ever said "be kind" and and no point have I said women should be kind. You've made both of things up because your actual points are weak.

Because if you can’t prove it exits, whatever it is that you are claiming exists , it doesn’t exist and it’s not real.

Oh behave, seriously go back and read my posts because I am bored repeating myself now 🥱

I would hope that if a teacher wanted to say that there is no god, because that is what they believe, that they should absolutely be able to say that, to children included.

Please don't repeat yourself. It wouldn't be worth your effort or mine.

Where's the irony? You don't have to be religious to teach religious education.

Would you also hope they could tell children that God exists because that's what they believe. Or how about that they are Satanists?

I think teachers should be neutral. So 'some people believe' instead of 'this is not real.'

And as I have said several times no. People don't have to be kind that is such a passive aggressive thinking always thrown at women!

Why are you comparing 'be kind' with being nice to children?

Why wouldn't you want to be kind to children??! Such a bizarre response

Absolutely, if they believe in any kind of god, they should be absolutely be allowed to say that. But in either case, no indoctrination should follow.

Provided that the RE teacher said “here are some religions that people believe in, they are all as valid as Santa, and Santa doesn’t exist” I’m ok with it.

I would have quite short RE lessons.

I can't see how any teacher is stupid enough to say such a thing to a class if 7 year olds. If they are the school will surely be getting lots of complaints. Do you have a class WhatsApp that's blowing up?

I'm the opposite to you OP I absolutely hate people telling my child something we absolutely know does not exist is real. It's completely different to faith were people believe different things but always grow out of it when they find out the truth. People get angry when a teacher says they believe in god and call it indoctrination but it's fine to lie about Santa?!

Every family feels differently on these things and I think it should ALWAYS be phrased some people believe/don't believe. My kids know Santa is not real and have been firmly told we say "we don't believe" to others not he's not real just as you would not say "he's not real" to people who believe in a different God

One of the deacons did this at my daughter's school. I was livid.

Terrible - some of the answers on here are so weird.

The teacher should know that some of the kids believe, even if some don't at 7. Not their place at all to tell the kids Santa isn't real.

I'd 100% put a complaint in.

An RE teacher is telling kids that Santa isn't real? Oh the irony

Both my kids believed in Father Christmas until secondary school (age 11), I had to sit them down and tell them. They were genuinely surprised. But I put a lot of effort into keeping the magic alive and my eldest kept it going for his younger brother. It’s rotten of that teacher to spoil it, I’d be fuming!