A preschool teacher in northern Greece has been placed under probation and sacked from her post at a state nursery for locking toddlers in a dark storage room to contain them.
The shocking revelation surfaced after concerned parents reported the abuse, saying the 40-year-old state preschool teacher in Alexandroupolis, northeast Greece, not only isolated the children but also bound them to chairs at times to punish them because of their unruly behaviour.
The teacher, suspended from her post, has admitted to the practice, saying she used a dark storage facility at the nursery as a “decompression room” for unruly toddlers. The abuse came to light when growing numbers of parents noticed their children mimicking the punishment in play with their siblings or dolls. Others refused to return to the daycare centre, expressing fear.
Deputy Mayor Elias Dasteridis condemned the practices, pledging to hire new staff to ensure the proper care and safety of the preschoolers.
The incident has raised significant alarming concern about disciplinary methods and child welfare in public institutions across the country.