Preschool teacher sacked for applying mood-calming patches to toddlers

The students believed they were receiving stickers for a job well done, but parents soon realised they were “sleepy time patches.” 

A daycare teacher has been fired after reportedly giving toddlers mood-calming patches without parental consent. 

On a Friday afternoon, a mum picked up her child early from the Options for Learning Head Start preschool in California. 

There, she saw something stuck to her son’s back, which she alleged was a mood-calming patch placed there by a teacher. 

The mum immediately informed the other parents through a group chat and claimed the other students in the classroom also had stickers on their bodies.

Now, the parents are demanding further action to be taken for their children’s safety. 

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Californian parents believe their kids were given Zen patches (right) at preschool without their consent. Source: Fox11, LA Times

Parents discovered preschool teacher was applying Zen patches to toddlers

She told Fox11 the parents were noticing “behavioural issues” with their children in the last few weeks, including changes in their sleep and eating habits. 

The parents argued the teacher had started applying stickers to every single student in the classroom, which the kids thought was to reward good behaviour.

However, the parents have argued the teacher was supplying the toddlers with mood-calming stickers, also known as Zen Patches.

They alleged she would take the patches off the kids before they were sent home. 

Vicky, mum of 3yo Gian and 4yo Destiny, said she was “surprised and really upset” by the teacher’s actions.

“You bring your kids, and you expect it to be good, you know,” she told Fox.

Speaking to the LA Times, one mum Marta said her son became “irritable” before he would have to leave for school and would cry at the thought of leaving his mum. 

“He’s never talkative. Before, he would talk about how his day went at school and answer questions,” she said. 

“I asked him now, and he was just like, ‘I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it.’ He’s very timid and really mellowed out.” 

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The preschool has since fired the teacher, but some parents don't believe that is taking far enough action. Source: Fox11, Google Maps

Teacher fired for administering “harmless” mood-calming patches to toddlers

Concerned parents are afraid of the potential consequences of using these mood patches on their children, with some reporting “withdrawal” symptoms in their toddlers. 

“I don’t even know what the teacher was thinking when she did that,” said mum Cynthia. 

The Options for Learning Head Start CEO Paul F. Pulver confirmed the teacher had been administering “aromatic stickers” to a “limited number of students.” 

“Over our 40-year history, the safety and well-being of our students have been at the core of our mission at Options for Learning,” the statement read.

“The stickers are advertised as harmless; they contain natural aromas including lavender, orange, cedarwood, and mandarin.” 

“[The teacher’s] distribution violated our policy requiring parental decision-making and consent on all such matters,” he continued. “The employee who provided the stickers has been fired.” 

But the parents believe the response hasn’t gone far enough.

“Firing her is not good enough at all,” said parent Stephanie. “I want justice; she should be in jail.”

Originally published as Preschool teacher sacked for applying mood-calming patches to toddlers