A kindergarten teacher has resigned after it was discovered she was giving melatonin gummies to special education students, school officials at the elementary school in Humble, Texas, shared.
In an email to CNN, Humble Independent School District spokesperson Jamie Mount shared that the Pine Forest Elementary School teacher gave the gummies, often used as an over-the-counter sleeping aid, “to a few of her students.”
Mount shared that the district learned about what was happening on Sept. 28, and an investigation was quickly launched.
The investigation found that the teacher, who has not been named, “did give out melatonin, acting on her own and without obtaining parent permission. The teacher also did not notify campus administration nor the nurse,” according to Mount.
“The teacher’s actions were unacceptable,” Mount said to CNN. “We are appalled that the teacher made this decision.”
The teacher has since resigned, which Mount said was “the fastest, most efficient process to separate employment.”
“Terminating a teacher’s contract can be a longer, drawn-out process because the state education code requires a multistep process to be followed,” Mount told CNN. “With the Resignation, the matter is still reported to the State Board for Educator Certification.”
Since the incident, the police, State Board of Educator Certification, and Child Protective Services have been notified of what happened.
None of the children are believed to have suffered any injuries, and the parents of all students in the class have been notified, Mount shared.
While it is not an FDA-regulated drug, The National Center for Complementary Integrative Health does say that melatonin appears “to be safe for most children for short-term use.”
However, the agency says, “there are uncertainties about what dose to use and when to give it, the effects of melatonin use over long periods, and whether melatonin’s benefits outweigh its possible risks.”