Vicar Apologizes After Informing Schoolchildren Father Christmas Is Not Real

A clergyman has been compelled to issue an apology subsequent to informing a group of schoolchildren, aged 10 and 11, that Father Christmas does not exist. Reports indicate that students began to cry as Rev Dr Paul Chamberlain delivered these remarks during a Religious Education lesson at Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School in Hampshire. One parent characterized his discussion as “absolutely disgusting,” while another stated her daughter believed the vicar was mistaken and had “lost the plot,” as reported by The Times. The Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth confirmed that Rev Chamberlain acknowledged his actions constituted an “error of judgement.” A 10-year-old pupil, quoted in The Times, recounted that some children “gasped” during the vicar’s instruction, which also included the revelation that parents consumed the cookies placed out for Santa. A parent conveyed to the newspaper: “I don’t know how it can be undone, but I think it’s absolutely disgusting. “I don’t want him anywhere near my daughter. I hope he never comes into the school again.” In a statement, a spokesperson for the diocese said: “We understand that the vicar of St Faith’s, Lee-on-the-Solent, the Rev Paul Chamberlain, was leading an RE lesson for 10 and 11-year-olds at Lee-on-Solent Junior School.” The spokesperson continued: “After talking about the Nativity story from the Bible, he made some comments about the existence of Father Christmas.” “Paul has accepted that this was an error of judgement, and he should not have done so.” “He apologised unreservedly to the school, to the parents and to the children, and the headteacher immediately wrote to all parents to explain this.”