HUMBLE, Texas – A special education teacher has resigned from Humble Independent School District after being accused of giving melatonin gummies to a few of her students at Pine Forest Elementary School.
District officials said an investigation was launched after it received information about the teacher’s action in late September.
During the investigation, the district learned that the teacher “did give out melatonin gummies, acting on her own and without obtaining parental permission.”
The district said the teacher did not notify the campus administration or a nurse about her actions.
“Is she bringing the melatonin from home,” asked Nia Moreno, whose son was given the melatonin gummies. “We don’t know what was in there besides the melatonin.”
Moreno said she had more questions than answers after she was told about the incident.
She recalls picking up her 5-year-old early from school this semester when a paraprofessional said they woke him up from a nap.
“One of the paraprofessionals was like, ‘oh he’s kind of grumpy because he actually fell asleep, but we had to wake him up because you were here.’ I was like ‘oh okay,’” Moreno recalls. But now learning about melatonin she sees it differently.
“For me, that one occasion was the only sign that I’ve gotten. They never said he took a nap or anything else like that,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t know how many times he was given it, it could have been multiple times.”
The teacher was reported to the State Board for Educator Certification, Child Protective Services and the police by the district. It’s unclear what, if any, charges she will face.
The Pine Forest Elementary School principal called the parents of all students in the teacher’s class and said all students were doing well.
The district said the teacher has not been in the classroom since late September when the incident was reported.
HUMBLE ISD STATEMENT
“Humble ISD reported all information to Child Protective Services, TEA, and Humble ISD Police. They are investigating and we cannot provide further information, at this time, during open investigations.”
