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I believe in Father Christmas

A few minutes ago, after returning from a lovely walk on a sunny mid-December Saturday afternoon, I logged on to my computer to write a blog entry for today, but my original plan has been hijacked. 

I have no idea how it works, but when I start-up my internet browser I get a homepage (I think it is called that) with a selection of news stories that the internet gremlins have decided I will be interested in.

Most of the stories seem to be cricket related, and there are always loads about the weather too, but I also still get quite a few stories from the education world, along with a smattering of stories that might be termed 'local interest'. Today there was one headline in particular that caught my eye and I could not resist clicking on it. The headline was "Primary school pupils heartbroken after vicar tells them 'Santa doesn't exist.'"

In my career I only had the briefest contact with church schools, but as the head of a village community school I really had no alternative but to foster some sort of positive relationship with the local church. As a person of no faith I always found this problematic, but by and large we managed to keep things pleasant.

The school in the story I have just read is also a community school, but they have fallen foul of what I was always scared would happen to me. The problem is, in my view, that we should not be presenting Christianity as being in any way 'correct' to our children, particularly younger children who still look up to teachers and believe every thing that we say. We are not a Christian country any more and our practice should reflect this.

I would love to read the apology letter that the school apparently sent out to the parents, and I must admit that I have just checked on the school's website to see if it has been posted there. Unfortunately it hasn't so I can only imagine the grovelling that was needed on the part of the headteacher.  I have linked to the story below as it is definitely worth a read!

Primary school pupils heartbroken after vicar tells them 'Santa doesn't exist'

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