Leatrice Ann Eng, Elementary School Teacher, Tells Students Santa Isn't Real (VIDEO)

It wasn't the Grinch who stole Christmas for a class of second graders at George W. Miller Elementary School in Nanuet, N.Y. Instead, it was their teacher, who allegedly told students there was no Santa Claus during a geography lesson about the North Pole.

"It's outrageous that a teacher would strip a child of their innocence and try and demystify something," Margaret Fernandez, 59, told the New York Post as she picked up her grandchild from kindergarten.

On Saturday, the Post reported that the teacher, 58-year-old Leatrice Ann Eng, had since apologized to the parents of each student in the class in a string of phone calls to the students' homes.

As for any other action that might be taken in response to the incident, district Superintendent Mark McNeill said discussions were ongoing, though he had little else to say.

"This matter is being discussed internally and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further," McNeill told the Journal News.

Last week, the Christmas spirit took another blow when Fox News Chicago anchor Robin Robinson denied the existence of Santa Claus to her cohost, Bob Sirott.

"Stop trying to convince your kids that Santa is Santa," Robinson said on live television. "That's why they have these high expectations. They know you can't afford it, so what do they do? Just ask some man in a red suit. There is no Santa."

After viewers flooded the station with angry emails and phone calls, the anchor later issued an apology during the station's opinion segment, "The Talker."

"It was careless and callous to say ... what I said, in what could've been mixed company," Robinson said. "So many kids don't get to be children, that for those who do get to live the wonder and magic of Christmas, I would never spoil it intentionally. So I sincerely apologize. We have certainly heard how you feel about my mistake, and since The Talker is about opinions: here we go."

VIDEO:

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Comments

[OneFish]

07:39 PM on 12/14/2011

"Serious and thoughtful" posters seem to be the ones who say that the teacher was wrong and should have said "Ask your parents".

Nonsense. The whole Santa thing is entirely unimportant and the teacher had every right to say what she said. Get over it. The Santa Clause Lie is nothing but crass commercialism and the holiday nothing but a pagan festival infected with Christian myth in an attempt to control people.

[aubonpain]

08:22 PM on 12/07/2011

What's to argue about here? Every adult knows that Christmas is a time whereby kids get to have fun with the Santa Claus story. Any adult who purposely takes that away from the kids and their parents out of reasons of her own is selfish and deserves the censure of all. It's not HER job to determine by what method these families uphold this myth.

[OneFish]

07:26 PM on 12/14/2011

It's not your job to tell her what to say.

[hagagaga]

09:18 AM on 12/07/2011

And this is a problem?

[bldr1bob]

08:19 PM on 12/07/2011

Yes, it is a problem.

[OneFish]

07:27 PM on 12/14/2011

No, it is not a problem, it is reality. Contrary to popular opinion, reality is good for children. They can come to terms with life more gracefully when we don't lie to them about reality.

[OneFish]

08:43 PM on 12/14/2011

You don't get to tell the teacher what to say. I support the teacher answering a kid's question truthfully. If you feel that your children should never have to deal with reality then homeschool them or put them in a parochial school.

[UnderTheHedgeWeGo]

09:14 AM on 12/07/2011

What is the problem with children knowing the simple truth. Where does this custom of beginning your relationship with your children with a lie come from? Would it really damage them to know early on that Santa and the Easter Bunny are just wonderful warm symbols? "We give you presents because WE love you so MUCH" doesn't seem like it would scar a child TOO deeply.

[UnderTheHedgeWeGo]

08:59 AM on 12/07/2011

This deception perpetrated on a child should be anyone's first lesson being specious of authority.

[XV8 Crisis Suit]

06:30 AM on 12/07/2011

What a terrible person for telling that truth and all like that. She should be ashamed that she is not willing to perpetuate the delusion that these parents are trying to enforce on their children. For shame! Now these kids will have the live with the horror of this for the rest of their lives!!!!!

[zaynah-unignorant]

09:23 PM on 12/06/2011

I think its a growing process, Many parents don't even get to the point where they have to tell their kids Santa doesnt exist, they figure it out on their own.

[Joel Mendez]

09:49 AM on 12/07/2011

which is to say that they never have to take responsibility for having lied.

[alg2u]

08:26 PM on 12/06/2011

Who is she to do that?...That is the parents choice...not some wanna be know it all wanna be elitist!

Probabaly an athiest..one of those really angry ones.Freedom of religion...what part of that don't you get.

[tshields424]

09:26 PM on 12/06/2011

This from an obviously angry Christian.

[WoolyBumblebee]

09:29 AM on 12/07/2011

Seriously? You think that Atheists are that cruel? I am an Atheist and I think religion is useless and dangerous, but I would NEVER tell my kid that Santa was not real and destroy that innocence. They grow out of it so fast on their own, so why would I care if they believed in Santa for a few years when they are little? What an ill-informed individual you are!

[mynamescolin]

07:22 PM on 12/06/2011

I'd tell my second grader that the teacher is from the hood and Santa won't go there because he's afraid of being mugged. Thats why she believes there is no Santa.

[angiedailey628]

08:05 PM on 12/06/2011

LOL, 2nd graders are figuring it out for themselves anyway and can ask some very direct and detailed questions. I suspect she was put in a position where she didn't have much "wiggle room".

[Joel Mendez]

09:51 AM on 12/07/2011

that is...uh...what's the word....oh, RACIST. so, the truth about xmas, no. racist bigotry, yes? how very moral, how very xtian.

[Peter Zin]

05:35 PM on 12/06/2011

what a grinch.

[OneFish]

07:32 PM on 12/14/2011

Honesty makes her a bad person how?

[truenewyorkfan]

02:11 PM on 12/06/2011

This is not the buissness of the school to handle. This teacher should have been further reprimanded in some way.

If a parent does not want their child to think Santa Clause is real let them deal with it. If the parents do, its not the buisness of the school to say otherwise.

Everybody eventually learns its not real, so let the kids have their illusions while their young. That is the great thing about being child.

[angiedailey628]

08:11 PM on 12/06/2011

I don't think it was her place but she has apologized and I think that should be sufficient... I doubt she just volunteered that info without being questioned. Second graders can be relentless.

[truenewyorkfan]

09:30 PM on 12/06/2011

True. This should be something staff are addressed about. Unless they are directly asked, which this article leads me to believe she was not, then there is no reason.

Even then, tip-toe around the answer. One student's inquiry should not ruin 30 others childhood. Its a delicate place but she did apologize, so in all, it should be good.

My real inquiry though is how would people have reacted if the question was why do we celbrate Christmas, and she explained the story of the birth of Christ? It is the reason the holiday exists and is celebrated.

[aubonpain]

08:23 PM on 12/07/2011

I'm a teacher and the reply is easy. "This is a question for your parents."

[Joel Mendez]

09:54 AM on 12/07/2011

it's unlikely she volunteered the information, so the fact is, she was probably asked, and if asked, you tell the truth. i'm sorry, but this is xtian sentimentality getting in the way of things. i would object if she had said the opposite, since i'm an atheist. the difference is that in the case of my child being told santa was real, i'd be justified in b!tch!ing, since the teacher would then be lying to my child. in this case, everybody seems to be all in a huff b/c a teacher told a kid the right answer to a question.

[FarmLuv]

12:03 PM on 12/07/2011

Why do you keep assuming its Christians who want to keep the Santa lie going? As a Christian myself, I have no intention of telling my kids that Santa is real. The Santa myth takes away from the miracle and fulfilled prophecy of the birth of Christ. Not only that I don't intend on lying to my kids in hopes that they don't miss out on the innocence and magic Santa supposedly represents. Innocence is not reliant upon belief in Santa.

[truenewyorkfan]

04:09 PM on 12/07/2011

Best Possible Answer - "You should ask your parents that question." This is a very mature answer that does not lie to the child, and directs the child to those who's responsibility it is to decide if the child should or should not believe in Santa.

If this was a middle school teacher above then there would be no issue because at that point most kids know and most parents would probably not object. The point is there are far more politcally correct ways to handle this.

[joann95798]

01:08 PM on 12/06/2011

Darned shame children can't dream anymore. The devil is a liar!!!!!

[Joel Mendez]

09:55 AM on 12/07/2011

yep. the devil is a liar. and that liberal elite "idoctrinator" told the truth. how about that? oh frabjous day!

[Meredith Walker]

11:36 AM on 12/06/2011

So she told them that Santa wasn't real? What's the big deal? She's paid to not lie to her students but to be truthful and encouraging in the lessons she teaches. I bet she's done more for her students in those areas than their parents have ever done.

[tshields424]

09:29 PM on 12/06/2011

Right, now imagine she did perpetuate the "Santa lie", and a couple years later little Timmy finds out on his own that Santa isn't real. He's going to be so upset that his own teacher lied to that he never again has any respect for his teachers. Way to go, Santa.

[Robert Secrist]

09:02 AM on 12/06/2011

Oh my. I hope the poor children aren't permanently injured. I suppose its better to let them conclude that they are bad when "Santa" fails to deliver the goods.

[angiedailey628]

07:58 PM on 12/06/2011

I do not believe that you know of anyone who has ever allowed their children to continue to believe in Santa then "failed to deliver the goods." Sorry, I'm calling BS.

[commarcos]

07:13 AM on 12/06/2011

Who cares? It is better that kids create their own imaginary people, places, and stories instead of being forced to believe in a tradition. This is why religion and belief in the irrational is so strong in our world. I am all for imagination but this is contrived and all of you people who are upset are only trying to regain your childhood. This does not and will not hurt these children or destroy their creativity or imagination. Maybe it will actually help free them of forced imagination. Tradition does not make things right or mandatory. If a 2nd grader actually believes some magical man flies around the world in one night dropping off presents is pretty stupid. I was, and most kids, are well aware their imagination is not real. Why are we making them believe in things that are not real like Santa or God? Get over yourselves people. My son will not believe in Santa. He will understand that it is mythology and a story. Both of which can be fun and imaginative. Yeesh. No wonder our kids are so dumb. Too many dumb stubborn parents.

[evecaren]

11:32 AM on 12/06/2011

In grade two, the children are only seven years old. The parents who tell their children there
is a Santa are not dumb as you state. The concept of a Santa or Sinterclaus in Holland dates
back hundreds of years. Santa is a huge part of the wonder and magic of Christmas.
We here in Canada have the Santa Claus parade, where the children and their parents actually
see Santa and wave to him. To most children, Santa is very real and he's very special and he's
important to them. You need to respect other children's feelings about Santa. It's your choice
to tell your son that Santa isn't real, just like it's every other parent's choice to allow their
children to believe in the magic of Santa. Oh, and imagination is very real if you believe.

[Joel Mendez]

10:02 AM on 12/07/2011

"You need to respect other children's feelings about Santa"--no actually, you don't. in fact, i prefer to be told the truth, which necessitates that if i'm told a lie, you aren't respecting me, you're being condescending.

"like it's every other parent's choice to allow their children to believe in the magic of Santa" No, actually, it isn't. the fact that this relativist, overly sentimental and cloying, childish story is told as if it were true, with parents then taking every measure available to them to continue to fabricate the lie is not a tiny harmless lie--you're forming a conspiracy with your spouse, and even with the older children in one's family to lie to a child who trusts you. we have a word for that: religion.

"imaginatio­n is very real if you believe" --yes, which is why the skyline here is minus two rather large buildings, why millions died in n@z! death camps, and between the hutu and tsutsis in Africa...what were you saying again about real?

[Joel Mendez]

09:47 PM on 12/08/2011

"“You have the most twisted thinking, if you can call it that, that I've ever had the
misfortune to read. What a bunch of crap.” omg? i have twisted thinking? omg, oh what am i to do? look lady, your judgment, such as it is, is not worth the bandwidth.

you don't know anything about thinking, that much is clear from your posts. you don't *like* what i have to say, fine. i don't expect or require it, you're the one doing mental gymnastics. and not very well, either.

[Conuly]

12:01 PM on 12/07/2011

Believing your parents is not "imagination". It's just what children do.

[heraldi]

10:59 PM on 12/21/2011

People, you are over-thinking it. As I read, I remember and keep getting flashbacks on how I felt as a child believing in the Three Wise Men, the equivalent of Santa Claus in Hispanic countries. We would go looking for grass for the camels, put it in a shoebox with a can of water (for the camels) and put it under the bed. What a child's joy to find the gifts the next morning the presents the "Three Wise Men left." I don't even remember how I found out the truth and it is obviously it did not point to the adult "liars" in the family. I was a child. Children now grow up too fast. This small moment with the fantasy can be a moment of joy. I am now an older woman who is an atheist. It did not happen because of the The Three Wise Men. It was because of all the reading, observing, and listening through the years that opened my eyes to the nonsense of religion and the mythical characters within it. My children enjoyed Santa too. But in my home Xmas has always been MY type of Xmas...the "family Xmas" when we all meet and exchange presents and have a wonderful time. No Jesus or other deity involved. And my kids have great memories of "Santa."