TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — An elementary school teacher who was allowed to keep his job despite being late for work 111 times in two years said Friday that breakfast is to blame for his tardiness.

 

"I have a bad habit of eating breakfast in the morning, and I lost track of time," 15-year veteran teacher Arnold Anderson told The Associated Press.

 

In a decision filed Aug. 19, an arbitrator in New Jersey rejected an attempt by the Roosevelt Elementary School in New Brunswick to fire Anderson from his $90,000-a-year job, saying he was entitled to progressive discipline. But the arbitrator also criticized Anderson's claim that the quality of his teaching outweighed his tardiness.

 

Anderson was late 46 times in the most recent school year through March 20 and 65 times in the previous school year, the arbitrator said.

 

Anderson said he was one to two minutes late to school "at the most" but was prepared and was never late for class.

 

"I have to cut out eating breakfast at home," he said Friday.

 

Anderson remains suspended without pay until Jan. 1.

 

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3dff685df57a4bf8ba1cd65accdc666e/teacher-who-was-late-111-times-says-he-was-eating-breakfast#overlay-context=users/rsomma

Sounds like a responsible adult.

$90k a year??? Sign me up for that gig...My goodness.

$90 TUSD per year! Kentucky teachers ARE underpaid. And...this guy has self-discipline problems...not breakfast problems.

1 or 2 minutes late he claims? How bout setting your alarm clock to get up about 15 minutes earlier every day you dope.

How can you possibly let this clown keep his job?

$90 TUSD per year! Kentucky teachers ARE underpaid. And...this guy has self-discipline problems...not breakfast problems.

 

While I agree teachers are underpaid, the difference in cost of living between KY and NJ is about 30%...

How can you possibly let this clown keep his job?

 

It is called Teacher's Union!!!!

It is called Teacher's Union!!!!

They can protect someone that is late 111 times? I need to make a career change.

How can you possibly let this clown keep his job?

Mostly because of poor supervision, if they would have started disciplining him from the start, and done it every time he would have no recourse.

While I agree teachers are underpaid, the difference in cost of living between KY and NJ is about 30%...

 

It is ridiculous up there. And the money you pay for the amount of space you get is outrageous as well.

They can protect someone that is late 111 times? I need to make a career change.

Almost every job is like that, if you wait till the 111 time to do something.

 

Companies have discipline standards in place, and if they do not follow them per the employee handbook or contract, they set themselves up for things like this to happen.

It is ridiculous up there. And the money you pay for the amount of space you get is outrageous as well.

 

Between the cost of living and the constant headaches you'd have to endure in every day life, you couldn't pay me enough to live up there.

Mostly because of poor supervision, if they would have started disciplining him from the start, and done it every time he would have no recourse.

 

Almost every job is like that, if you wait till the 111 time to do something.

 

Companies have discipline standards in place, and if they do not follow them per the employee handbook or contract, they set themselves up for things like this to happen.

I didn't read far enough down. Didn't see they haven't even disciplined him. :thumb: The person in charge of that should be fired then.

Mostly because of poor supervision, if they would have started disciplining him from the start, and done it every time he would have no recourse.

 

100% correct. This is on the school and not on the teacher. I'm guessing by the judgment made by the arbiter that the agreement with the union says you can't fire the guy without putting him through some other discipline first.

 

So the school is to blame for letting it continue to happen.