I don't usually write about things that occur in the media. Why? Because I don't like to start anything.

But this really irks me.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178708,00.html

What the heck...I'll even paste it since it's short:

[article begins]

Texas Teacher Tells First-Graders There Is No Santa

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

RICHARDSON, Texas � Guess what, kids? There's no such thing as Santa Claus!

That's what a suburban Dallas music teacher told first-graders on Monday � and the school's been hearing from parents ever since.

The angry phone calls prompted the Richardson school district to issue a pro-Santa statement.

The district announced that the offending teacher had heard from Santa Claus himself � who assurred the teacher that "the spirit of the holidays is alive and well." And Santa asked the teacher to pass that message along to students.

A district spokesman says the teacher won't face any disciplinary action.

[article ends]

First off, that's so mean. If I were a little kid in his class, I would have totally cried.

Second, he had no right. It's not his place to tell a kid whether or not there is a Santa or not. That's like a teacher saying to his students that there is or isn't unicorns or God or anything for that matter. It's up to the parents to teach their children. Then as the child progresses and grows, it's up to them to branch out and find their own faiths.

Third, I'm not saying it's right or wrong to have a "Santa" and I'm not saying it's right or wrong to teach your kids to believe in something that isn't true. I am saying though, as a figure that those children looked up to...he didn't know what they believed or didn't believe and I don't think he should have said anything about it. Fine, you think it's wrong for them to have Santa. That's great, but don't rain on the parade of those that are content believing.

Maybe I'm just sensitive.

I don't know whether or not I'm going to one day let my children have "Santa" or not. I believe that's for me and their Father to decide. I do know though that if I did decide they could, I'd be mad at this teacher for doing that. Even if I say they didn't have Santa, I still feel that the guy was clearly stepping on toes of parents that felt otherwise.

Stuff like this just irks me.