NJ teacher who was late 111 times: I was having breakfast

Well, it is the most important meal of the day.

The Roosevelt Elementary School teacher who was late for class 111 times in two years told the Associated Press Friday he was often just a minute or two late to the New Brunswick school because he lost track of time eating breakfast.

As reported by NJ1015.com Thursday, the habitual tardiness nearly cost 15-year veteran Arnold Anderson his $90,000-a-year job, but an arbitrator ruled he should be suspended. The school district had sought to fire him outright.

Arbitrator David Gregory didn't pull punches, though, in his ruling, saying Anderson only offered "micro-quibbles of a few unpersuasive explanations" for his lateness. Gregory was unimpressed by Anderson's contention his lateness should be excused because he offered a “superb educational experience to his grateful students.”

“(Anderson’s) self-serving inflated characterization of his substantive abilities misses the essential point,” wrote Gregory in his ruling. “His students are fully entitled to receive (Anderson’s) very best efforts for the entire period, and not merely for that remaining portion of the period following Anderson’s chronically late arrivals.”

Anderson was late 46 times after 8:40 a.m in the last school year alone, including 16 times he punched in more than 5 minutes late during the 2014-15 school year, according to Gregory's ruling.

Ansderson remains suspended until Jan. 1. He told the AP it's been painful to not have a paycheck, but concedes being fired would have been worse.

The Associated Press contributed to this report