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A school principal is “extremely disappointed” in a Baptist minister who was too honest when elementary school students asked him if the Easter bunny was real.
Pastor Jason Hoet was speaking to Years 4-6 students at Colonel Light Gardens Primary School on Tuesday about Christian beliefs when he was asked a question he wasn’t expecting.
The clergyman, senior pastor of Unley Park Baptist Church in Adelaide, told the children that the egg is a symbol of new life, but the Easter bunny is not real.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn that the information shared has impacted the joy of Easter for our students and families,” school principal Liz Pelling said in a statement issued to Daily Mail Australia.
The shock of what happened led South Africa’s Education Minister Blair Boyer to visit the school on Thursday to deliver Easter eggs to the children.
A school principal is “extremely disappointed” in Baptist pastor Jason Hoet (pictured) who was too honest when elementary school students asked him if the Easter bunny was real.
A Baptist pastor told schoolchildren that the egg is a symbol of new life, but that the Easter bunny (pictured) is not real.
Pastor Hoet said he was “also asked if the devil existed and if Satan was real.” I was worried about the impact on that question.
‘The other pastor said I answered the question about Satan much better than I answered the question about the Easter bunny. “Now I know exactly how to answer the question, but unfortunately it’s too late,” he told Advertiser.
He said he was “embarrassed” by how he handled the bunny issue.
“I think my brain was working from a staff meeting with adults and it hadn’t fit into being in the area with little kids, so when they asked me I gave them an answer,” he said.
In a statement sent to school families, the pastor apologized for what he said.
‘I understand why parents are disappointed and offended. Matters like these are a precious part of a child’s life that the family enjoys and is responsible for,” she wrote.
‘I recognize that my words have impacted both this joy and this responsibility. This makes me sad.
‘In the 14 years that my children attended CLG and the five years that I have presented Christmas and Easter seminars, I have strived to share the Christian story and be respectful of all walks of life.’
Mrs Pelling said the school had “spoke to several parents about the sincere apology… with comments ranging from appreciation for the apology to sympathy for (Pastor Hoet).”
He said sessions, like the one the pastor spoke at Tuesday, “have been taught over several years, reflecting both the inclusion and diversity of the school.”
South Africa’s Education Minister Blair Boyer (pictured) visited the school on Thursday to deliver Easter eggs to children.
“We will continue to hold a series of events and celebrations in the future,” he added.
Pastor Hoet’s own children attended the school for 14 years and he had been heavily involved with the school’s cricket club.
But after the Easter Bunny told him the truth, he withdrew from future Christian performances at school.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pastor Hoet for comment.