Foster parents Derek and Frances Baars, members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), do not believe in lying to children about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, which became a point of contention with the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) of Hamilton. A CAS support worker felt the family was not doing their duty by refusing to teach their foster children about the Easter Bunny and considered it “part of Canadian culture.”
‘Twas a few days before Christmas when all through a Hamilton courtroom of the hallowed Superior Court of Ontario, the lawyers were arguing about – Santa Claus.
And the Easter bunny as well.
To his credit, Justice Andrew Goodman kept a straight face throughout the hearing as the lawyer for the Hamilton CAS struggled to explain why the agency suddenly yanked two little girls from their happy foster home just because their devout Christian foster parents wouldn’t lie and tell them Santa and the Easter Bunny were real.
The children – aged four and three at the time – faced the imminent danger that the “magic” of the holidays might be destroyed if they were left with Derek and Frances Baars, argued lawyer Jim Wood.
“They’re entitled to believe that while they’re sleeping, Santa Claus is coming to put the presents under the tree,” he insisted. “The risk is there. The children needed to be removed.”
The Baars were upfront when they signed on: They don’t celebrate Halloween and, as their glowing SAFE Homestudy Report clearly states, they “do not endorse Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny as they do not wish to lie to children.”
They were approved as foster parents in December 2015 and the sisters moved into their home a week before Christmas.
The Baars bought them gifts and celebrated the holiday – but carefully avoided the Santa question. Their birth mother even sent a note thanking them for giving her girls such a nice Christmas.
“I don’t believe any magic was lost,” countered the Baars’ lawyer Marty Moore.
That wasn’t good enough for the child welfare agency, especially when they asked about their Easter plans and the Baars reiterated their position that they wouldn’t be telling the children about the Easter Bunny either. They would hide chocolate and make it a fun day – but wouldn’t lie and say a giant, floppy eared rabbit was responsible for their Easter eggs.
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