Advice please. Head teacher said Santa doesn't exist

[Eeyore rocks]

Originally Posted by the_rangdo

We had (well, still have) a bell that I used to ring loudly early on Xmas morning, was always the cue for little footsteps running to try and catch the big fella.

I just had to be quick to dive back into bed and pretend to be asleep without being caught. Kept the magic going quite nicely

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We put a bell outside, and tell them it fell off of Santa’s sleigh. 🎅🏻

[tspill]

If you go to the school, the only person loses out is your child. Teachers are human and can react badly after you have a go at them.
They were factually correct in this case.
Personally, I think there is no good outcome here for your child so I would leave it. This seems to be about you getting it off your chest.
Teachers hate com plaining parents. And they often spend more time with the children than their parents.

[vowels]

Originally Posted by FlorayG

While I don't personally think children should be asked to believe in supernatural beings I agree that it isn't the teacher's position to correct anything your child believes. That's just not their business.

You might use the argument that if you'd wanted your child specifically to be educated in what to believe then you would have sent her to a religious school (...although of course that argument isn't going to work if you already do )

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My children attend a Catholic school.

I would be shocked if a teacher said such a thing to my children. Their school encourage the younger children to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy as this is what parents want. In fact, in December a lot of their schoolwork - art, drama, maths, language, french, music - is based on Santa, his work and of course the Nativity. She has foolishly lost an avenue of learning.

Maybe it would be worth speaking to the other parents and send a message from the whole parent forum that you wish your children to maintain the innocence of believing in Santa and the Tooth Fairy for as long as possible.

Good luck both with your meeting and restoring your daughter's belief.

[Minnie18]

This post made me sad for your dd and I 100% understand why your angry as I would be too.

Sending you luck and calming magic dust.

[sophiepop]

Wow! I would be furious. My Daughter went to a village school and most parents managed to keep the big FC real for a couple of years more than we expected to.

Would struggle to remain calm on this with such a stupid teacher

My Daughter goes to her first lecture today to become a primary teacher and I am sure she will make sure Christmas is magical for her class.

[jndt]

I'm really shocked - any adult spoiling Christmas magic is bad enough but a teacher - I would have no respect for them after that I'm afraid.

I have a 9 year old and would be upset if someone spoilt it for him (my 14 and 17 year olds won't dare either).

I also work in a primary school and no member of staff would do this - ever.

ETA - my 9 year old is autistic too - unless you have a child on the spectrum you don't always realise the impact words can have on a child who's whole world is "black and white" (by that I mean there is never a middle ground and if someone in a position of authority says something it can be impossible to talk them round to believing again).

[KayLouise]

I would be angry and so upset. Really not a teachers place to tell a child this at all 😡

[duchy]

Originally Posted by tspill

If you go to the school, the only person loses out is your child. Teachers are human and can react badly after you have a go at them.
They were factually correct in this case.
Personally, I think there is no good outcome here for your child so I would leave it. This seems to be about you getting it off your chest.
Teachers hate com plaining parents. And they often spend more time with the children than their parents.

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As a parent (and my son is also autistic) and also as someone who has also worked in education I don't believe it's about "getting it off her chest" at all. It's about a teacher crossing the line and challenging the family belief system. Santa, Allah, Tooth Fairy or Jesus it isn't a teacher's place to impose their personal beliefs on a student knowing that they believe something different.
Whilst what the teacher said would be entirely appropriate in high school , at primary level it was thoughtless and unkind. The sort of mistake made by a new graduate not a head teacher.
It'll certainly show what kind of professional they are in how they handle it but I don't agree that at primary level any decent teacher would make any student pay for parents pointing out a failure in standards (which is not "having a go at them" but simply having reasonable expectations from the teacher)

[alp1972]

I would be dissapointed that the any teacher let alone a head thought it appropriate to say that to any child . Yes we all know that children talk and yes usually there is a few that tell the other children that Santa , Tooth Fairy etc dont exist but a lot of children mine being one of them still believes and I am happy to still have that magic at the moment . I do think on occasion not all by any stretch but some heads teachers are brought in to run the school as a business which is fine to some degree but forget how to be teachers . A friend said their son who is in year 6 had no teacher the other day so the head stepped in and he told them to sit on the floor on a mat and read them all a story ! The kids were all horrified and said it was like being back in reception !

[ely3857]

Headteachers are as human as the rest of us. It sounded like an apology has already been obtained so I’m not sure what else you’re hoping to achieve.

I hope you find some balance with your daughter and her beliefs.