| When an American teacher at a school in | | | | children to name a teddy bear, and they picked |
| Manhattan named a teddy bear Moses, one of | | | | 'Jesus,' do you think she would get a raise?" the |
| her young students told his parents about the | | | | teacher speculated. |
| matter. They immediately called the principal who | | | | "Why, she might," the principal decided, "especially |
| headed the school, who quickly called a number of | | | | if she was teaching in a school with a lot of |
| teachers and parents to discuss the situation. | | | | Hispanic children, since many of them are named |
| A course of action was determined, and the next | | | | Jesus." |
| day the principal went to the teacher's classroom. | | | | "But get a raise?" |
| "I understand you named a teddy bear Moses?" | | | | "I have no way of knowing," the principal told her. |
| he asked. | | | | "I am, however, relatively certain she would not |
| "Yes, I did," she replied. "Did I do something | | | | be flogged and sent to prison, especially since this |
| wrong?" | | | | is no longer The Dark Ages, at least, in America |
| "She didn't do it!" a child called. | | | | and a great deal of the rest of the world." |
| "All she did is ask us to name it," a third student | | | | "But the English teacher in Sudan didn't get a |
| chimed in. | | | | raise," the teacher insisted. |
| "My name's Moses, so I suggested the name," a | | | | "I think we have to leave that up to the Muslims," |
| third child admitted. "I like having the teddy bear | | | | he replied. "Religious freedom is a mutual |
| named after me." | | | | obligation." |
| "Will I be flogged and imprisoned?" the teacher | | | | "Yes, I'm afraid we do," she conceded. "Well, at |
| wanted to know. | | | | least they agreed not to flog her." |
| "Why?" he asked, being, fortunately, an | | | | "Yes, they did." |
| enlightened principal. "I think naming it Moses is | | | | "And the president of Sudan released her from jail |
| cute." | | | | six days before her 15-day sentence was over." |
| "You do?" she asked. | | | | "I think we can commend him for that," he |
| "Of course," he replied. "So do the teachers and | | | | agreed. |
| parents I talked to." | | | | "But to talk about the matter generally, don't you |
| "My," the teacher noted, "How different from | | | | think a religion is better off when children are |
| being a teacher in Sudan!" | | | | given reasons to like the prophet who founded |
| "Evidently, very different," he agreed. "I'm sure | | | | it?" |
| you and your students think a lot of the name | | | | "Why, that's exactly the conclusion we reached |
| Moses or you wouldn't have picked it." | | | | when I talked to the children's parents." |
| "That's right!" the child the teddy bear was named | | | | "I'm so glad," the teacher told him. "I'm not sure |
| after volunteered. | | | | the children in Sudan, who have now lost a |
| "We call him Mo for short," another child said. | | | | wonderful teacher, are so happy to play with the |
| "Mo?" the principal asked. | | | | teddy bear they named Mohammed." |
| "I'm afraid so," the teacher admitted. | | | | "That's a very pertinent observation," he |
| "Not to worry," he told her. "I know a lot of men | | | | concluded. |
| named Moses who are called Mo. I even have an | | | | Just then a student asked, "Can we play with |
| uncle Mo. So this is what I've decided. You | | | | Moses now?" |
| obviously know how to involve the children. So | | | | "Of course, you can," the teacher said, and |
| I'm giving you a raise." | | | | handed the teddy bear to the principal. "You give |
| "Oh, thank you," she said. "But the children | | | | it to them." |
| deserve it as much as I do." | | | | "Thank you," he said, "my pleasure." |
| "No, you take it," a student insisted. | | | | When he gave it to the students, they began to |
| "But are you sure I deserve it?" she asked the | | | | hug and kiss it and talk to it. The teacher looked |
| principal. "We all know the teacher in Sudan didn't | | | | on with a smile, and so did the principal, who |
| get a raise." | | | | noticed how much the children loved Moses and |
| "Yes, we do," he acknowledged. | | | | that, even when they called it Mo, it seemed no |
| "And, if a teacher in a Christian school asked their | | | | worse for the wear. |