Santa Claus working hard in Ottawa, Dec 13, 2012. Tony Caldwell/QMI Agency

OTTAWA - Angry parents were forced into serious damage control Tuesday night and Wednesday morning after a group of children were told by their teacher that Santa is “a myth.”

The travesty took place in a Grade 4 classroom at St. Andrew Catholic School in Barrhaven.

According to parent Troy MacFarlane, his 9-year-old daughter explained the confusing news at breakfast Wednesday.

“Her supply teacher and the class read a story from their books and at the end the teacher decided she had to tell this class of 9-year-olds that Santa is a myth and doesn’t exist,” MacFarlane said.

He and his wife managed to successfully convince her otherwise -- by digging out her Christmas scrapbook and reminding her of her Sunday visit with Santa Claus at a staff party just a few days earlier.