A Rio Rancho High School freshman who is black wore a Santa hat and beard to school recently. His teacher told him he couldn't be Santa because Kris Kringle is white.
The teacher later called and apologized to the student's mom, but his dad says that's not enough.
"It's not a phone call. A phone call is not something you do. 'Oh, I'm sorry for saying this to your child.' No. This is something that needs to be sat down and discussed. He needs to be fired," one parent said.
District officials say the teacher is being disciplined but won't say how. They add that the teacher himself is calling it a "stupid mistake" on his part.