July 1, 2005
Skipping Class to Wrestle, Teacher Lands in Trouble
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN, NY TIMES

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At Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens, he was known as Matthew Kaye, an earnest social studies teacher shepherding his ninth- and 10th-grade students across the panorama of global history. But out of school - on the professional wrestling circuit - he was Matt Striker, a muscleman known for a move called the lung blower.

His double life may have body-slammed his teaching career.

According to city investigators, Mr. Kaye, 31, falsely called in sick for 11 days in December and February when he was actually on the wrestling tour. Faced with disciplinary action, Mr. Kaye resigned in April, but yesterday he said that he hoped to get his job back.

"There are people out there who touch children inappropriately who are still allowed to work," Mr. Kaye said in a telephone interview. "The only thing I did was I put in sick days instead of personal days, because I didn't know there was a difference."

But Richard J. Condon, the special commissioner of investigation for the city schools, said it was not that simple. Teachers get 10 sick days a year and only 3 of those can be used for personal business.

Investigators from Mr. Condon's office said a woman who identified herself as Mr. Kaye's mother called Cardozo in December and said that he was out because of a family emergency. Mr. Kaye later told an assistant principal at the school that his sister was ill.

Then Mr. Kaye was absent in February, when wrestling Web sites said that he appeared on the television show "SmackDown!" in a match against Kurt Angle.

Investigators sought to interview Mr. Kaye, but his lawyer canceled the session and Mr. Kaye resigned.

Mr. Kaye eventually provided two notes from doctors for his absences. But investigators questioned their validity and urged the state Health Department's Office of Professional Medical Conduct to investigate and take action.

In a letter to Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, Mr. Condon urged that Mr. Kaye be deemed ineligible for future employment in the schools and that the city demand to be repaid for the days he missed work. A spokesman for Mr. Klein, Keith Kalb, said, "This is outrageous behavior and we're going to pursue the recommendations."

Mr. Kaye said he was willing to repay the money and even accept a suspension if it meant he might get his job back.

Students, too, seem to want him back. Several posted messages of support, with some using computer shorthand, on his wrestling Web site, ThisIsStriker.com. "Thank you so much Mr. Kaye," one wrote. "The Global Regents were so easy!"

Another wrote: "When I see you in the future and you are that super superstar, I'll say, hey, that was my ninth-grade global teacher, the best teacher I ever had. They'll probably think I'm lying."

Randi Weingarten, the president of the city teachers' union, said the case underscored how little teachers are paid.

"Teachers frequently have second jobs or second careers because you just can't make it on a teacher's salary these days," she said.

Mr. Kaye said he was already looking for work at another school.

"If anyone out there now wants to hire a social studies teacher that can reach their kids," he said, "give me a chance."

Second career puts New York teacher on ropes
Chicago Tribune, July 3, 2005

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A New York City 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 also has performed under names including Matt Martel and Hydro, part of a tag team called Los Lunatics. Kaye, who taught at Benjamin Cardozo High School, stepped down in April after investigators tried to interview him about his second career. In a statement on his site, Kaye said he didn't realize sick days and personal days "were two entirely different things." He told the New York Daily News: "I would have been better off beating a kid, because those teachers always seem to keep their jobs."

Teacher/wrestler asked to repay sick days
Items compiled from Tribune news services
Published July 3, 2005

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NEW YORK -- A high school social studies teacher took 11 sick days so he could perform as a professional wrestler, investigators said.

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

Investigators said 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 on those days.

Kaye stepped down in April.

Schools Special Investigator Richard Condon recommended that Kaye not be rehired.

NY teacher bunks school for wrestling career
By Carole Vaporean, Independent South Africa

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New York - A New York City school teacher apologised and resigned on Friday after admitting he was pursuing a career as a professional wrestler when he told his boss he was on leave to care for a sick relative.

Matthew Kaye, a social studies teacher at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens, had his mother call in sick for him on December 16, according to a report issued this week by the New York City school district's commissioner of investigation.

When he returned to school after the winter break, the report said, he informed the assistant principal that he had gone to California to care for his sick sister.

'God gave me gifts and I choose to use them to touch peoples lives'
But the teacher's website revealed he had another life as a wrestler named Matt Striker.

"I recently realised that dream on December 16 when I touched down in Tokyo to start my inaugural tour for the Zero One Company. I cannot express in words what this tour has meant to me as a person and as a professional wrestler," the website said.

Again in February, Kaye used a doctor's note as an excuse for a no-show at school, but his website entries for those dates showed photos of his appearance at a Pro Wrestling World Smackdown in Philadelphia.

On Friday, Kaye apologised on his Matt Striker website. He said he had resigned as a teacher and offered to pay for the days he was in Japan.

He insisted his his students had received excellent instruction.

"Look at the facts - God gave me gifts and I choose to use them to touch peoples lives. I choose to make the world better by entertainment and education," he said.

Kaye did not return telephone calls for comment.

The school district's report recommended banning Kaye from future employment in New York City public schools.