Santa Hat-Wearing Bus Driver Keeps Job

[Rhino]

'Santa' dressed down

A Commack school bus driver was ordered to remove his seasonal hat after one complaint, but he later won approval.

BY JENNIFER BARRIOS
Newsday Staff Writer

December 18, 2006, 10:35 PM EST

A Commack School District bus driver says he nearly lost his job because he refused to take off his Santa Claus cap while driving his route.

With his long white beard and generous midriff, 65-year-old Kenneth Mott bears more than a passing resemblance to St. Nick. The Bayport resident says he has been wearing his furry red-and-white hat every December since he started working for the Baumann and Sons bus company, which transports students in the Commack School District, five years ago.

But after Mott completed his morning route on Thursday, shuttling kids to Rolling Hills Primary School and Commack Middle School, he said his supervisors at Baumann and Sons called and demanded that he take off his Santa hat.

Mott said he was told that a parent of a child complained to the district about Mott's headgear, saying that the child doesn't believe in Santa Claus and was bothered by the hat.

"I said, 'What, are you kidding me?,'" Mott recalled. "I thought it was a big joke.".....http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lisant1219,0,5318955.story?coll=ny-main-bigpix

[JOEVIKING]

The lady that complained should have her House Egged LOL

Seriously, The Bus Company should have have told her tough and to Deal with it.

[Rhino]

One would think, but in "PC World", anything goes.

[Wolfcounsel]

All candy asses and scrooges desperately are in need of severe wall-to-wall counseling.

[Riverboat]

I don't know what all the fuss is about. His picture isn't on this district web site (http://www.commack.k12.ny.us/communitynews/strangerdangerlist.asp) link.

That school district sucks anyway. I didn't see a single mission statement anywhere. Howza person sposed to know what they're mission is without a mission statement?

[DoctorDoom]

The new standard of correctness in America: ALWAYS kiss the ass of one trouble-making whiner.

[gnome]

One would think, but in "PC World", anything goes.

I'm trying to figure out what was political about this...

Is every time someone whines and is given too much attention "Political correctness"? Pretty broad definition there.

[DeclinetoState]

Did the hat interfere with the fellow's ability to drive the bus safely? If yes, then it should come off. If not, then it should not.

[Rhino]

I'm trying to figure out what was political about this....Keep trying. Maybe it'll come to you.

[LightHorseman]

Mott said he was told that a parent of a child complained to the district about Mott's headgear, saying that the child doesn't believe in Santa Claus and was bothered by the hat.if the kid didn't believe in santa, then what the hell was the problem?

I think the REAL problem was that the Kid fronted at home with a story about how Santa was real, and all a-gush about the extra presents he was now expecting, and the tight fisted parents don't want to spend the extra $$$

[BEST45CAL]

Did the hat interfere with the fellow's ability to drive the bus safely? If yes, then it should come off. If not, then it should not.
Was the little white ball in the driver's face, blocking his view or not? That is the question.

As for that kid, someone told him to say what he said. When I was a kid, I didn't believe in Santa, but I went along with the gag. There was no psychological trauma when I found out that he wasn't real. lol

[LightHorseman]

As for that kid, someone told him to say what he said. When I was a kid, I didn't believe in Santa, but I went along with the gag. There was no psychological trauma when I found out that he wasn't real. lolI kept believing in him for as long as possible to improve the haul, and encouraged my younger brother to go along with it way past the point where he believed... HE was all set to blow the gig and actually tell Mum and Dad he had worked it out!

[Rhino]

I got beat up once for believing in Santa. I kinda knew deep down he didn't exist, but I clung to the mystique and wonderment purely for personal gratification purposes. :D