You can't be Santa -- Santa is White

By Hum
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Grand Master

Hum

Posted
Posted

The family of an African-American high school student in New Mexico says he's crushed after a teacher questioned why he was wearing Santa garb during a school holiday dress-up day last week, CNN affiliate KOAT reported.

The teacher told Christopher Rougier, a freshman at Cleveland High School, that he couldn't be Santa because Santa is white, the student's father, Michael, told KOAT.

"He was embarrassed," he told the station.

Now, his son doesn't want anything to do with Christmas.

Michael Rougier said the teacher called his wife to apologize, but that's not enough.

"He needs to be fired," Rougier told KOAT. "For him to make a comment like that, there has to be at a minimum prejudice in him, and we don't have room for that."

Kim Vesely, the director of Rio Rancho Public Schools, released a statement to media about the incident.

"This situation involves a teacher recently hired by Cleveland High who made -- and admits he made -- a stupid mistake," the director said. "The remark was inappropriate and should not have been made. The teacher feels very badly about what occurred. He self-reported the incident to the principal and has apologized to the student and to the student's parent. Appropriate disciplinary action has been taken."

The boy's family has asked that he be moved out of the teacher's class, and the school has complied, Vesely said.

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Grand Master

fusi0n

Posted
Posted

omg, when are these firestorms going to end?? First, I have to disagree with the school. If a black student wanted to play Santa, let them play Santa..

 

 

With that said, all of that other news about Fox News saying Santa was white during an off hand comment that was not suppose to mean anything, got blown way of proportion. This country is too damn sensitive. 

Grand Master

+Raze Subscriber²

Posted
  • Subscriber²
Posted

And this situation needs to go no further, the teacher acknowledged his mistake, reported it and apologized.  The student and family can accept this and even reach out to the teacher (and vice versa) and everyone can work with each other to create a positive community attitude.

Grand Master

+LogicalApex MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

OK.. In all the history of Santa, show me where Santa is portrayed as black.  Teacher might have been a bit of a pillock, but he was right!

I wasn't aware of Santa being real... Even if he were... You don't need the race of the actor to match that of the character...

Grand Master

firey

Posted
Posted

I wasn't aware of Santa being real... Even if he were... You don't need the race of the actor to match that of the character...

Well.. every depiction of "Santa" is white. Also, most times they do try to match them, as it is more comforting on a human level.  I am not trying to be racist in this, but EVERYONE feels more comfortable on SOME level when someone matches their ethnicity.  Am I saying there can't be a black santa? No, I am saying all depictions of Santa is that of a fat white man, and to change it.. will affect general comfort about it.  Just like there are no recordings of a black jesus.. or a white MLK.

Mentor

Davo

Posted
Posted
firey, on 16 Dec 2013 - 17:26, said:firey, on 16 Dec 2013 - 17:26, said:

Well.. every depiction of "Santa" is white. Also, most times they do try to match them, as it is more comforting on a human level.  I am not trying to be racist in this, but EVERYONE feels more comfortable on SOME level when someone matches their ethnicity.  Am I saying there can't be a black santa? No, I am saying all depictions of Santa is that of a fat white man, and to change it.. will affect general comfort about it.  Just like there are no recordings of a black jesus.. or a white MLK.

 

Ermagerd so much stupid in one post.

 

You shouldn't racially discriminate in general but to do it to a child as an educator? You have to be a pretty big knob.

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Grand Master

soniqstylz

Posted
Posted

Well.. every depiction of "Santa" is white. Also, most times they do try to match them, as it is more comforting on a human level.  I am not trying to be racist in this, but EVERYONE feels more comfortable on SOME level when someone matches their ethnicity.  Am I saying there can't be a black santa? No, I am saying all depictions of Santa is that of a fat white man, and to change it.. will affect general comfort about it.  Just like there are no recordings of a black jesus.. or a white MLK.

 

Jesus wasn't white either.

Grand Master

soniqstylz

Posted
Posted

OK.. In all the history of Santa, show me where Santa is portrayed as black.  Teacher might have been a bit of a pillock, but he was right!

 

http://moonbase.rydia.net/mental/blog/religion/the-face-of-santa

Grand Master

McKay

Posted
Posted

Jesus wasn't white either.

 

Jesus is the colour of whoever happens to worship him. He's White in the West; Christianity is growing in China and if you look at the mosaic art in Church windows in China, Jesus and his disciples are all Chinese.

Mentor

Skin

Posted
Posted

OK.. In all the history of Santa, show me where Santa is portrayed as black.  Teacher might have been a bit of a pillock, but he was right!

 

5YVcIDA.jpg

 

Seriously though, the essence of Santa is known through out the world by what ever nationality you are within. Of course there are black santa, even if the modern version are based on more European folklore and imagery.

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Mentor

thomastmc

Posted
Posted

Jesus is the colour of whoever happens to worship him. He's White in the West; Christianity is growing in China and if you look at the mosaic art in Church windows in China, Jesus and his disciples are all Chinese.

 

And, Abraham Lincoln was black. At least, to those of us who admire him...

 

The fact that people ignore reality in religion is of no surprise. The reality is that Jesus was not white though, no matter how wrong they have it in the West or in Asia.

Grand Master

simplezz

Posted
Posted

Santa is Turkish.

 

But, feel free to continue.

 

Technically he was Greek. Although born in asia minor, his parents were greek and he was brought up in the greek culture of that region.

 

As far as the ethnicity of constume wearer's is concerned, I can't see what the fuss is. What does it matter the colour of someone's skin, we're all human after all. I'm firmly on the kid's side in this case.

  • +Mirumir and DConnell
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Grand Master

Menge

Posted
Posted

A glib teacher who should've left the kid playing Santa alone (most depictions of Santa are white, but what's the harm?!);

Inverted-racist parents who made a big fuss of it (the teacher wasn't being racist. He was just conforming to the majority of Santa depictions...);

A society who is just too racist/sexist/whateverist trigger happy.

The mind boggles...

Grand Master

MorganX

Posted
Posted

I wasn't aware of Santa being real... Even if he were... You don't need the race of the actor to match that of the character...

 

Agree with you on Santa. But there are two characters who are white and one who is black for sure: Tell Wil Smith that James West (played by Robert Conrad in the Wild Wild West) and Captain James T. Kirk, are white. Though James T. like green ... women. And Shaft, Shaft is black.

 

Other than that, I'm color neutral, just know how to act.

 

One more thing, Sulu is Asian. You can't have a black or a white actor play Sulu.

 

/s

Grand Master

DConnell Member

Posted
  • Member
Posted

For cryin' out loud! Let the kid have his fun! St. Nickolaus, on whom Santa is based, may have been white, but that doesn't mean a black kid can't dress up as Santa! Christmas is supposed to be a time of goodwill to all!

 

But still, the teacher shouldn't be fired simply for being stupid and insensitive. I'd call that an eye for an eyelash.

Grand Master

DConnell Member

Posted
  • Member
Posted

And, Abraham Lincoln was black. At least, to those of us who admire him...

 

The fact that people ignore reality in religion is of no surprise. The reality is that Jesus was not white though, no matter how wrong they have it in the West or in Asia.

 

Jesus was Hebrew, so yes, he was dark-skinned.

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