undermining the teacher's authority would most likely lead to behavior I don't want, like distrust and hostility.
Unless, of course, the children learned to differentiate 'respect' of the social kind (the only important part for social success at school) from respect of the kind where actual merit is relevant. This is an invaluable lesson in its own right. (By my observation the social necessity of showing respect to an authority figure may actually have an inverse correlation with their merit - unless you actually wish to challenge them.)
Again, this isn't a criticism of your decision, which I think is a practical one. Just a consideration some need to account for depending on psychological makeup of their children.
The religious training seems like a small thing?
Utterly trivial. Makes almost no difference. :)
This is actually a case where The Santa Deception may actually be a good thing. One approach I may consider would be to teach my kids the necessary religion myself, actively. I'd tell them all the right religious stories, and intersperse those stories with fairy tales and stories of Santa. All in the same tone and cheery enthusiasm.
I can still ace the religious questions when I go along to trivia nights at church with my Christian friends. There is no reason my kids can't too. :)
Up-voted for this:
By my observation the social necessity of showing respect to an authority figure may actually have an inverse correlation with their merit - unless you actually wish to challenge them.
Sometimes I get into trouble with this, and have to explain to somebody whom I respect that I didn't show them as much respect as I showed another because I actually respect them more (and probably actually respected them too much, but I don't say that). Mostly this is not authority figures, however.
I've long entertained a dubious regard for the practice of lying to children about the existence of Santa Claus. Parents might claim that it serves to make children's lives more magical and exciting, but as a general rule, children are adequately equipped to create fantasies of their own without their parents' intervention. The two reasons I suspect rest at the bottom line are adherence to tradition, and finding it cute to see one's children believing ridiculous things.
Personally, I considered this to be a rather indecent way to treat one's own children, and have sometimes wondered whether a large proportion of conspiracy theorists owe their origins to the realization that practically all the adults in the country really are conspiring to deceive children for no tangible benefit. However, since I began frequenting this site, I've been exposed to the alternate viewpoint that this realization may be good for developing rationalists, because it provides children with the experience of discovering that they hold beliefs which are wrong and absurd, and that they must reject them.
So, how did the Santa deception affect you personally? How do you think your life might have been different without it? If your parents didn't do it to you, what are your impressions on the experience of not being lied to when most other children are?
Also, I promise to upvote anyone who links to an easy to register for community of conspiracy theorists where they would not be averse to being asked the same question.