NEW YORK - A high school social studies teacher took 11 sick days so he could perform as a professional wrestler with moves he called the "lungblower" and the "over drive," investigators said.

The school system is seeking reimbursement from Matthew Kaye, 31, who has resigned.

According to investigators, Kaye told school officials he was taking the sick days in December and February to care for an ill sister, and he sometimes provided doctors' notes. They said they later discovered that his wrestling Web site listed him as being on tour for World Wrestling Entertainment on those days.

Kaye's site lists him as Matt Striker, saying he has also performed under names including Matt Martel and Hydro, part of a tag team called Los Lunatics.

"He is known for his charisma, his ability to adjust and his innovative manuvers like: The Over Drive (a modified swinging neckbreaker) as well as the Lungblower and other unusual submission and impact moves," the site says.

Kaye, who taught social studies at Benjamin Cardozo High School, stepped down in April after investigators tried to interview him about his second career.

Schools Special Investigator Richard Condon recommended that Kaye not be rehired. Kaye said he was willing to repay the money and hoped to get his job back.

In a statement on his site, Kaye said he didn't realize sick days and personal days "were two entirely different things." He said he had good relationships with his students and many of them did well on their examinations "because I taught them!"

"I would have been better off beating a kid, because those teachers always seem to keep their jobs," he told the Daily News.
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So what if he used his sick days and personal days? There his to use! Do you know how many people each DAY lie to get out of work? This is just wrong! Give the man his job back!

I remember my teacher in high school telling us a few weeks in advance when he was going to be sick

He is willing to pay the school the amount they paid him so I think he should get his job back

I'm not sure why that's a problem since it is his sick days and personal leave. It's not like he went AWOL right?

Yeah, really. I saw this on the news it's ridiculous. And he's right.. the teachers who get caught doing things a lot worse usually get to keep some kind of a job inside of the school system.

But I wonder who ratted him out? A jealous teacher or a failing student?

I vote a jealoius teacher since all of his kids were passing beautifully.

I don't see anything wrong here, at least he wasn't out killing people!!!

Did you read the story? It said in there the school officals found him on a website. Stupid internet!

No, I watched the news. It said that someone tipped them off about the website. They left a printout on the desk or something.

Thats real bs right there. Personal days and sick days are well, personal. You should really be able to use them when you need or feel like it. Thats lame.

My question is, what the heck was he doing teaching when he was a pro wrestler? Don't they get paid *decent* money?

Edit: ROFL.. the wrestler's webpage is passed his bandwidth limit...

oo! *removes foot from mouth* Kind of unfair you have a news link and I don't on the topic.

Bloody Narcs!

hahahahah

props to that teacher.

Whats really wrong here, is how he claimed to be looking after his ill sister and that sort of lie is trully disgusting!

well if they were his days who cares what he did with them but he should not have lied,no wonder they got mad, i wonder who really told on him you know the school just did not go on the web and find him there!

So what ,give the man his job back,at least he wasnt doing hard core porn like the rest of his collegues

True, he shouldn't have lied. But it needs to be said that most people aren't sick when they call in sick. Hangovers, relatives from out of town, just not feeling like working, wanting a long weekend...the list goes on and on. Not that I've ever lied about being sick...

It's not as if they don't get enough time off already?

so what?they were his sick days to use.

No, not really...only at the high end of the industry. There's virtually no money to be had in wrestling...the chances are this guy worked for OVW as a development prospect, in which his pay slip would probably cover his travel and accomidation, and not much else (assuming he split a room with someone else).

The only way to really make any sizable money is to be either at the absolute top of one of the larger independant leagues, or to be on tv...this guy is neither (and I should know, because I've never heard of him ).

Anyway, long story short, his sick days, and he should be free to use them as he sees fit. I've phoned in sick to get out of work for personal reasons when I was perfectly healthy...and I imagine almost everyone has.

He should have just told the truth and taken personal leave. I have never been fond of my employees lying to me but that is beside the point. He resigned. He used his 'personal' sick days and cannot be asked for reimbursement. Screw the school. I know of teachers that have done a lot worse.