A PRIMARY SCHOOL teacher who was allowed to keep his job despite being late for work 111 times in two years said this week that breakfast was 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 19 August, an arbitrator in New Jersey rejected an attempt by the Roosevelt Elementary School to fire Anderson from his $90,000-a-year job, saying he was entitled to progressive discipline.

But the arbitrator also criticised Anderson’s claim that the quality of his teacher outweighed his tardiness.

He was late 46 times in the most recent school year through 20 March 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 1 January.

The arbitrator found that the district failed to provide Anderson with due process by not providing him with a formal notice of inefficiency or giving him 90 days to correct his failings before terminating his employment.

Gov. Chris Christie referenced the case in a tweet.

Anderson said he was “very upset” to be suspended but conceded that losing his job would have been worse.

When he returns to school in January, “I will be early,” he said.

More: Teen jailed for 11 years for running Isis Twitter account