(Texas Scorecard) – A Klein Independent School District nurse has been terminated and is now facing a criminal investigation for allegedly replacing students’ prescription medications with over-the-counter medications.
The investigation began after a routine audit on Monday revealed that two students at Kuehnle Elementary, who are twins, had their prescribed ADHD medication replaced with over-the-counter drugs: Aleve and loratadine (an allergy medication), respectively.
Courtney Griffin, the mother of the affected twins, spoke to KPRC 2 about the situation. She emphasized the significance of the medication swap, stating, “These are controlled substances, like this is a big deal. These things have street value.”
After an initial audit, the school district issued a letter to families suggesting that the error occurred during the intake process when the mother delivered the medication.
The district’s letter read, “While the medication was secured correctly in the clinic, required intake procedures were not followed when the medication was delivered to the campus by the parent.”
Griffin expressed frustration over being blamed for the mistake without a full investigation.
The situation took a turn when KPRC 2 aired the interview with Griffin late Tuesday night.
While it’s unclear exactly what led to the second audit conducted the following day, its findings were shared with parents on Thursday.
Clearly frustrated by the lack of urgency, Griffin commented, “At first I don’t think that they did take it seriously, but because y’all got involved, you put the story out there and parents started reading and they’re saying, ‘Hey, this is not okay,’ I think they were kind of forced to investigate.”
The second audit uncovered another troubling discovery: another student’s ADHD medication, methylphenidate, had also been swapped with allergy medication, and the student had been given the wrong medication for at least eight days.
This second audit, which took place without the involvement of the school nurse, revealed discrepancies not identified in the initial review, which the nurse had conducted.
As a result, the district issued a statement confirming the nurse’s termination.
The letter states, “The nurse’s employment with Klein ISD has been terminated. The actions of this former employee are unacceptable and a fundamental violation of the trust placed in those who serve children—especially individuals who have taken a solemn healthcare oath to do no harm.”
The nurse is now under criminal investigation by the district police department. The district has pledged full cooperation with law enforcement, licensing agencies, and the Texas Board of Nursing.
Currently, the nurse has not been formally charged with any crime.
It has since emerged that the nurse had resigned from a previous position at Magnolia ISD after only a month and a half amid an investigation reported to the Texas Board of Nursing. Details of that investigation remain unclear.
When hired by Kuehnle Elementary, the nurse allegedly did not disclose her prior employment with Magnolia ISD.
Griffin also revealed that a similar incident occurred last year, though she initially dismissed it as a coincidence or human error.
Becca Harkleroad, executive director of the Texas School Nurses Organization, responded to the situation, stating, “When that trust is betrayed, it is deeply disturbing. This really is dangerous for some children if they need those medications.”