PASSAIC COUNTY — An unflattering video made during a New Jersey Education Association leadership conference this summer has had repercussions for at least one union member: A Passaic special education teacher was suspended for nine days and will be docked a pay raise after making crude comments to an undercover videographer.

Alissa Ploshnick’s unintentional starring performance in the "Teachers Unions Gone Wild" video included, among other things, using the "N" word and joking about how hard it is for tenured teachers to be fired. It was all caught on tape at a hotel bar during the weeklong conference in August.

Passaic Superintendent Robert Holster, who said he considered bringing harsher punishment of tenure charges, said the discipline was a "difficult decision," because "some people believe what’s said outside the school system is someone’s right."

But he said Ploshnick’s comments — which he called "professionally insulting" and not "the responsible behavior of a professional person employed by the Passaic Board of Education" — merited the response. He said the tape created "kind of an outrage" in Passaic.

"The character of an educator has to be beyond the school bell. It doesn’t take place only in school," Holster said.

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The superintendent took particular offense to the racial epithet: on the video, Ploshnick is heard saying she knew of a teacher who had used the "N" word to a student and was not fired, an incident Holster said did not occur.

"Passaic is multi-cultural and everyone has to be extremely sensitive in their thinking if they’re on our payroll," he said.

Holster recommended the school board withhold one pay "increment" — worth a few thousand dollars. He said the board agreed unanimously, and will vote on it in a resolution later this month. Ploshnick was suspended with pay when the video came to light, and will return to school tomorrow, he said.

Ploshnick, 38, who began teaching in Passaic in 1996, did not respond to a request for comment. She was given the chance to attend the board meeting, but did not, Holster said.

A spokesman for the NJEA said Ploshnick "deeply regrets what she said" and is looking forward to returning to her classroom.

Ploshnick earns "probably in the high 90s" and teaches a class of seven or eight special education students, Holster said. Wollmer said Ploshnick once was named "Teacher of the Year."

The video was one of three targeting the NJEA that was released by self-styled muckraker James O’Keefe. Taped largely at the East Brunswick Hilton, it included teachers chanting things against Gov. Chris Christie, who has been in an on-going battle with the union. Ploshnick was one of few identified teachers in the video.

Wollmer said an "operative" bought her drinks and secretly recorded her at the bar, engaging her in what she thought was a "social" conversation.

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Gov. Chris Christie comments on 'teachers unions gone wild'

Previous coverage:

• Hidden video by conservative activist James O'Keefe renews NJEA, Gov. Christie dispute

• Videos of NJEA conference are authentic, James O'Keefe spokesman says

• Video released by conservative activist claims to show undercover footage at NJEA conference

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