Remember how that Fox News lady assured kids that Santa is white? This is worse, I’d say:

A suburban Albuquerque teacher who told a black student that Santa Claus is white has been placed on paid administrative leave.

Rio Rancho school district spokeswoman Kim Vesely confirmed on Tuesday that the teacher is out of the classroom while the incident is being investigated.

The teacher’s comments came after students at Cleveland High School were told they could come to class dressed as Santa, an elf or a reindeer.

Michael Rougier says when his ninth-grade son, Christopher, arrived with a Santa hat and beard, the teacher asked, “Don’t you know Santa Claus is white? Why are you wearing that?”

The incident happened the same week that Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly said both Santa Claus and Jesus were white.

It’s one thing to shout “Santa is white” into the void on a TV show few people really think is “news” anymore. It’s something else entirely to say it to a kid standing right in front of you and dressed as Santa. WTH, people?

Photo credit: Black Santa and Presents by soulchristmas [CC BY 2.0], via Flickr.