Ho ho -- huh? 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."
@highlight
Commentator: Santa's not just fictional, he's also "an obese, alcoholic elf" with questionable labor practices
@highlight
St. Nicholas Center: St. Nick was Greek and lived about 1,700 years ago in what is now southern Turkey
@highlight
KOAT: Christopher Rougier wore a Santa hat and beard to a dress-up day at a New Mexico school
@highlight
A teacher told the teen he couldn't be Santa because Santa is white, the affiliate reports
"This situation involves a teacher recently hired by @placeholder who made -- and admits he made -- a stupid mistake," the director said.