COMMACK, N.Y. AP) – A school bus driver got into trouble because he refused to take off his Santa Claus cap while driving his route.

Kenneth Mott, 65, who has a white beard and an ample belly, added an extra touch to his Santa Claus look – a fuzzy red-and-white hat.

Last Thursday, when he returned from driving children to school at the Commack School District, he said his supervisors at the Baumann and Sons bus company demanded that he take off his Santa hat. He was told that a parent complained to the district that their child doesn’t believe in Santa Claus and was bothered by the hat.

Mott said he doesn’t pretend to be Santa while driving, nor does he play Christmas carols or decorate his bus.

He said that after he told parents that Friday might be his last day on the job because of the hat, supervisors suddenly told him he could wear the hat after all.

Commack School District Superintendent James Feltman said he told the district’s transportation supervisor that the hat could stay since it was not a religious object, was not distracting to the driver and didn’t interfere with the driver’s duties.