“美丽的圣诞夜，圣诞老人会送给你梦想的礼物。”这个奇妙的幻景被英国一所小学的代课教师打碎了，因为她告诉班里的孩子圣诞老人不存在的事实。孩子的家长群起而攻之，这名教师最终被校方开除。整个事件孰是孰非？我们是该继续为孩子编制美丽的童话，还是让他们及早面对事情的真相？

事件缘起：

A primary school teacher left a class of 25 pupils in tears when she told them Father Christmas does not exist.
一所小学的老师告诉班上的25个孩子圣诞老人根本不存在，这让孩子们眼泪汪汪。

The supply teacher blurted out: "it's your parents who leave out presents on Chrsitmas Day" when excited youngsters got rowdy as they talked about Christmas.
当孩子们为圣诞话题兴奋争执的时候，这名代课老师脱口而出：“在圣诞夜送你们礼物的是你们的父母。”

The class of seven-year-olds at Blackshaw Lane Primary School, Oldham, Greater Manchester burst into tears and told their parents when they got home.
大曼切斯特区奥尔德姆的拉克寿街小学班上这群7岁孩子们失声大哭，他们回家后还把老师的话告诉了父母。

"I wasn't happy and a lot of the mums were upset. All kids at that age are excited at this time of year, so for someone to come out and say something like that puts a dampener on it all. Now there are doubts at the back of their minds."
“我很不高兴，还有很多妈妈都很难过。在圣诞这个时候，所有那个年龄的孩子都很兴奋。所以，有人出来说那种话，真令人扫兴。现在孩子们都心存疑虑了。”

"He was distraught about it. He's only seven-years-old and it's part of the magic of Christmas to him. We told him that she did not believe in Father Christmas because of her religion and he's fine now. "
“他都要发疯了。他只是一个7岁大的孩子，圣诞对他而言有一种魔幻的魅力。我们告诉他宗教信仰的问题导致老师不相信圣诞老人的存在，现在孩子感觉好多了。”

Angela McCormick, the headteacher, refused to comment on the incident.
校长安吉拉·麦科密克拒绝评论此事。

she said: "Profuse apologies to all our Year 3 children and parents. I have spoken to the supply agency concerned and have completed a complaint form."
校长说：“学校对三年级所有的学生和家长竭诚道歉。我已与提供代课老师的有关机构谈过，还填写了投诉表。”

"The children are unscathed and thanks to the ‘magic’ of our resident staff and the lovely snow we have all appreciated this week."
“孩子们未受伤害。这要归功于我们员工施展的‘魔法’和本周令我们都感激的那场可爱的雪。”

School governor, Councillor Steve Bashforth said: "It would take more than one Grinch to spoil the magic of Christmas. We have every confidence that the head will deal with it sensitively and appropriately."
政府议员兼学校监督斯蒂夫·拜史佛斯说：“又一个圣诞怪杰差点毁了圣诞节的魅力。我们完全相信校长可以把事情处理得迅速妥当。”

激烈争论

支持教师派：这个世界不该向孩子掩盖真相。如果让孩子自己发现真相，他会认为自己被欺骗了，心里会更加难过。

FATHER CHRISTMAS is NOT real. The world has gone crazy. How long are you going to fool your children?

How stupid. I can't believe that the parents are up in arms about this. I am sure that their little darlings will survive the trauma of being told the truth about Father Christmas! My parents would joke with us about Santa when we were kids but we never really believed in him and they never tried to pretend that he was real. Some of the comments parents have been making suggest a major tragedy had befallen the kids.

Santa is a bit sad really--its often the first time a child realises their parents can lie to them...

I've often thought it strange that we tell children that some magic man from the North Pole comes and gives them presents once a year. Parents struggle and scrape to afford lovely things to give their kids, so why shouldn't the children be told this and be grateful for it? Telling them Santa brings their presents teaches them not to recognise the value of money, and sets them up for this sort of disappointment when they find out he's not real.

支持校方派：谋杀了孩子的幻想和美梦是一种罪恶。这是一种缺爱，没感情的表现。让孩子们陷于恐慌的老师也是不称职的。

It does seem a miserable thing to spoil the kid's dreams at Christmas.

All those people supporting this ghastly teacher's outburst obviously had very boring and nonmagical Christmases and killjoy parents. I stopped believing in Santa when I was six--of my own accord. But once I'd found out I was really disappointed and wished I hadn't gone searching for clues. If anyone ruins the magic for my kids like that--they'll be very sorry indeed.

What a meanie..well she won't be getting any presents from Santa this year..I bet she's one of those wicked people who kills fairies by saying she doesn't believe in them..on purpose!

Why can we not let children be children for as long as possible. Shame on this teacher, they have no feelings. She has taken the magic out of Christmas.

中间包容派：这个女人也许只是不适合教师的岗位，金融危机之际，应该给她份工作。家长们总能想出安抚孩子的办法。

I bet it's her first mistake so just give her another job, but not as a teacher. If the parents are smart, they will "fix" the story about Santa in their kids minds.

Give the poor woman her job back, we're in a recession and I'm sure she needs it.