The texas police launched an investigation against two teachers Northgate Crossing Elementary Schoolin the Spring ISD school district, after being accused of giving preschool children stickers with melatonin to “keep them calm”. The educational authorities placed the teachers on administrative leave, while the accusations brought by parents of the affected students.
According to ABC13 reports, parents noticed unusual behaviors in their children, who mentioned receiving what they described as “sleeping stickers” at school. These stickers, which contain melatonin and other ingredients to help you fall asleep, would have been handed out by teachers in the classroom. The event generated concern and opened a debate about the safety and legality of administering these types of supplements without parental consent.
According to the parents’ testimonies, their children informed them that in the classrooms they were given these stickers to sleep.Foto Khou
The incident came to light after Lisa Luviano, mother of one of the children, noticed strange behavior in his four year old son. The minor came home with a sticker in his hand and told his mother that his teacher had given it to him for “bedtime.”
This item had a moon and stars design, which aroused Luviano’s suspicions. Concerned, she began to investigate and discovered that The sticker corresponded to a patch called Sleep ZPatcha product designed for adults which contains melatonin and other ingredients intended to improve sleep.
Several families gave their testimonies to local media and are seeking action to prevent this from happening again.Foto Khou
The mother immediately went to school and filed a complaint with the administrationin addition to requesting that legal action be taken if it was confirmed that children were receiving supplements without consent. As she told the media, she was not the only one who discovered this fact. Other parents, like Najla Abdullah, began to notice similar changes in their children and also questioned their little ones, who They confirmed having received “special” stickers in the classroom. “They are giving them drugs to make them sleep and keep them calm,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah explained to the media Khou what His son had started crying more than usual and seemed upset. since the school year had started. I had also noticed that he didn’t eat at school and came home with his lunch untouched. After learning about the situation, this mother met with other parents and They held a meeting with school district authorities to demand answers about what happened.
Some parents decided to take their children to the hospital for medical tests. and make sure there were no serious side effects from exposure to the melatonina hormone that regulates sleep and, although safe in adults, is not recommended for children without medical supervision.
Spring ISD issued a statement on Wednesday, October 9in which he reported that, upon learning of the accusations, The two teachers involved were removed from their classrooms and placed on administrative leave. as a precautionary measure while the investigation is ongoing.
The district also stressed that Administering medications or supplements to students without explicit authorization is a violation of school board policy. The official statement stated: “No employee shall administer prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, herbal substances, or dietary supplements of any kind to any student, except as authorized by this or other District policy.”
The official statement from Northgate Crossing PreschoolFoto Khou
The stickers mentioned by the parents appear to match a product known as Sleep ZPatch, a patch containing melatonin and other natural ingredients such as “ashwagandha” and valerian root. This product, Designed to help adults fall asleepis marketed under the slogan “Peel, stick and sleep”, referring to its easy application and transdermal absorption.
Although Melatonin is a common supplement to treat sleep problemsits use in minors must be strictly controlled and under medical indications.
The patch is a product that contains melatonin and other natural ingredients such as ashwagandha and valerian root; Its use is exclusively aimed at adults.Foto Klova
Legal analyst Carmen Roe, in statements to the media Khouexplained that, although the teachers’ action does not appear to have caused serious physical harm to the students, this does not exempt the legal liability they could face. Roe highlighted that the parents They could file civil lawsuits for negligence or emotional distressalthough the path to a criminal conviction would be more complicated.
The investigation is currently ongoing and the Spring ISD Police Department is expected to determine the magnitude of the incident and the corresponding responsibilities. Despite this, affected parents expressed concern for the well-being of their children and They requested that school authorities take stronger measures to ensure that situations like this are not repeated.
For its part, the school district has asked parents to remain calm and allow authorities to do their job, ensuring that student safety remains the top priority.
THE NATION
