Are Christmas decorations on school buses OK? In Wallingford-Swarthmore, a holiday controversy brews.

Christmas decorations, as it turns out, are not actually banned on Wallingford-Swarthmore school buses.

But there’s some confusion, stirred by a memo sent by the Delaware County school district’s transportation director, which said some parents have complained about “district employees displaying ‘Christmas’ themed decorations and/or wearing clothing of the same nature.”

The memo, sent Friday, went on to direct bus drivers and aides to immediately remove “anything specific to the Christmas Holiday or other decorations relating to a specific religion. … In addition, employees are instructed not to wear clothing related to Christmas or any other religious holiday.”

Don’t play Christmas music or music related to any other religion, the memo concluded.

The memo, and the backlash, spread, with flames fanned by social media (“Those Grinches and snowflakes!” and “This is sad!” and “Move out of this country if you don’t like it!”).

But banning Christmas or any other decorations on buses or anywhere else was never the intent, said Superintendent Wagner Marseille. He did speak to the transportation director about some complaints about Christmas decorations on buses, but his initial message to the transportation director was not clear, Marseille said in an interview.

Some parents were concerned about “religious neutrality,” Marseille said, and his intent was to bring awareness to that, not to ban anything.

“It was about finding balance when we celebrate, as some may feel left out,” said Marseille. “In the district, we pride ourselves in being a place where everyone feels welcomed and included.”

Wallingford-Swarthmore’s religious-neutrality policy says the district and its staff cannot sponsor or allow religious observances or celebrations and “shall strive to devise programs that are inclusive rather than exclusive and practices which single out and isolate students and thereby serve to embarrass those children who would otherwise wish to be excluded.”

That does not, Marseille said, mean no Christmas decorations on buses.

When he learned about the transportation director’s memo and the backlash, Marseille quickly wrote and distributed one of his own, underscoring that “finding a balance” and adhering to the district’s policy was the point.

“The district did not and does not prohibit holiday displays, clothing and celebrations that are in compliance [with the policy],” Marseille wrote. “We understand the importance of recognizing and celebrating the diversity within our community. We are committed to continuously improving our communication and fostering an inclusive environment for all.”

And no, Marseille said, bus drivers don’t have to stick up decorations representing other holidays to balance things out.

“It was more of an awareness versus do something about it,” he said.

Inside Wallingford-Swarthmore schools, it’s easy to be inclusive, Marseille said — the district recently invested in digital displays for schools that scroll through messages teaching students about various cultural and religious celebrations. But that’s not practical for buses, said the superintendent, who stressed that “our bus drivers are wonderful employees.”

Marseille knows that people are angry about the idea of him ordering decorations be removed, and said the miscommunication was “unfortunate.”

Wallingford-Swarthmore students, in social-emotional lessons, are taught to be kind, respectful, and responsible, Marseille said. But now, “unfortunately, what adults are doing is exactly what we tell our students not to do. It’s that time to kind of exhale and think about what you’re about to type.”