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!

We have to ask the question though Wenger the want our 7 year olds thanking parents for their presents and coming up with ways to justify gifting for reason of time of the year alone. I think removal of Santa being capatilsim to the fore early on in a child's life with the realisation children from richer families get more then the poor to some extent.

Maybe we do need to think about gifting to children and when it is done? I don't know really.

To my mind without Santa the gifting at Christmas makes children obliged to feel grateful to parents for their largesse and I don't think I'd that is necessarily a good thing.

@SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice did you read those articles? I couldn't read the Telegraph one, but I did read the other two. That wasn't what any of those studies said.

Oh how lovely you are
Merry fucking festive season to you and yours

Bit of an over the top reaction. Same to you I guess

Not really. We know FC doesn't deliver presents to every child in the world, no one knows for certain that God(s) do or do not exist.

So you would be happy for a teacher to tell your young child Father Christmas isn’t real just weeks before Christmas?

Things that did not happen, part 296.
🤣

This is aibu
However, beeing told your opinion is ridiculous provokes a reaction
But, Merry Christmas (no f'ing this time!)

It is ridiculous because so many posters on AIBU are soooo desperate just to disagree with the OP, just because they can even though they quite obviously aren’t unreasonable

I didn't say anything about the Santa comment. Whether you believe different aspects of RE are fiction or non fiction, it isn't ironic. It is teaching what some people believe. Santa isn't a religion, so wouldn't be likely to come up in an RE class except from a child. Most teachers would probably just brush it off.

Why?
7 is quite old enough to know the truth

But it's not a teachers job to tell children the truth about Father Christmas.
Plus 7 is still young. I would have been a little upset if someone had told my DS at 7. Figuring out themselves or another child telling them is one thing, but an adult doing this? Seems mean to me.

Quite. It’s not the 7 year old finding out he’s not real, it’s the fact it’s not for the teacher to tell. Of course it’s not acceptable

I've worked with children for 30 plus years 6 and under pretty much all believe. 7-9 around 80% . 9-10 around 50% and moat stop believing (or are told ) by 11.

Except this teacher did tell them that Santa isn’t real. I bet they didn’t tell them that God isn’t real. Teacher massively overstepped.

Children are not taught that God is real in RE. They are taught that some people believe in God and others don't.

RE teachers (unless in a very religious school) definitely do not teach that 'God is real'. The subject is very clearly about learning about different beliefs, and has been for a couple of decades now.

OP I'm very against parental micromanagement or complaining to school over small things. But I'd mention this. If the teacher has ever met a child before they should know this isn't OK! Are they very young/new and genuinely think most 7 year olds have stopped believing?

Some kids are very keen to find out one way or another though- I teach trainee teachers now and actually tell an anecdote about a child asking me "should I look in non fiction for books about santa claus, or fiction?" Teachers, like parents, should have their 'neutral' line ready!

Yes but not the Easter bunny.

There was imagery of bunnies but not the belief the bunny brought the Easter eggs. Parents and maybe family bought the eggs and you had to wait agonising days before you could touch them. You could even choose them yourself in the shop.

The teacher possibly said it about Santa, however op is being sensible and is going to ask before getting uppity. My only comment is that there is no irony as the teacher will have to follow the curriculum which refers to a range of beliefs.

How does it come about that you know the stats on who believes but the children who do believe think half the class are lying to them?

Probably haven't explained that every well but I don't quite get how a 10 year old in 2024 would be aware of the situation and not question it

Ok, you seem determined to denigrate anyone who disagrees with OP because you have deemed them 'argumentative ', rather than having an alternative opinion. If that makes you happy, then I feel sad for you.
But the point stands. 7 is too old to believe in santa, so if the teacher mentioned he didn't exist, i doubt she did it to disillusion anyone, just assumed that children would be in the know

Well an RE teacher should believe in St Nicholas right? So Father Christmas.
I would talk to the teacher before complaining. The comment must have come from somewhere. I can't believe that just before Christmas she decided to tell the kids he's not real.
My DDs believed until they were 8 or 9, they'd have been upset to be told that at 7.

Uh huh. And what if he told the kids god isn't real? What's the difference?

Wrong
You are assuming RE teachers must be practising Christians.
Not necessarily the case, they may just have an interest in world religions. Can’t believe in all of them simultaneously.

You are all mental. Stop lying to kids.

Yes.
Hth.