Is the Easter bunny real? The surprise question from schoolkids this pastor now regrets answering
A school principal is ‘extremely disappointed’ in a Baptist pastor who was too honest when primary school pupils asked him if the Easter Bunny was real.
Pastor Jason Hoet was speaking to fourth and sixth grade students at Colonel Light Gardens Primary School on Tuesday about Christian beliefs when he was asked a question he wasn’t expecting.
The clergyman, lead 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 were extremely disappointed to learn that the information shared has affected the joy of Easter for our students and families,” school principal Liz Pelling said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.
The shock of what happened led to SA’s Education Minister Blair Boyer visiting the school on Thursday to hand out Easter eggs to the children.
A school principal is ‘extremely disappointed’ in Baptist pastor Jason Hoet (pictured) who was too honest when primary school pupils asked him if the Easter Bunny was real
A Baptist pastor told schoolchildren that the egg is a symbol of new life, but the Easter Bunny (pictured) is not real
Pastor Hoet said he was “also asked if there was a devil and if Satan really existed. I was concerned about the impact on that question.
‘The other preacher said I answered the question about Satan much better than I did about the Easter Bunny. “I now know exactly how to answer the question, but unfortunately it’s too late,” he told the newspaper Advertiser.
He said he felt “embarrassed” by the way he handled the rabbit question.
“I think my brain went off from a staff meeting with adults, and I hadn’t clicked on being in the zone with little kids, so when they asked, I gave them an answer,” he said.
In a statement to school families, the pastor apologized for what he said.
‘I understand why parents are disappointed and offended. These types of things are a precious part of a child’s life that a family enjoys and is responsible for,” he wrote.
“I recognize that my words have influenced both this joy and this responsibility. This saddens me.
“In the fourteen years that my children attended CLG and five years of presenting Christmas and Easter seminars, I have tried to share the Christian story and be respectful of all ways of life.”
Ms Pelling said the school had “spoken to a number of parents about the sincere apology… with comments ranging from appreciation for the apology to sympathy for (Pastor Hoet).”
She said sessions, like the one the pastor spoke at on Tuesday, “have been delivered over a number of years and reflect both the inclusivity and diversity of the school.”
SA’s Education Minister Blair Boyer (pictured) visited the school on Thursday to hand out Easter eggs to the children
“We will continue to embrace a range of events and celebrations in the future,” she added.
Reverend Hoet’s own children attended the school for fourteen years and he was heavily involved in the school’s cricket club.
But after telling the truth, the Easter Bunny has withdrawn from future Christian presentations at school.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pastor Hoet for comment.