HOUSTON -- A northwest Houston day-care center is being investigated by the state after parents said the pastor's wife tied down several small children, KPRC Local 2 reported Monday.

The woman, who is a teacher at the mother's day out program at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, located at 4040 Watonga Blvd., loosely tied neck scarves to restrain toddlers to their seats in the classroom, parents said.

State officials said restraints should only be used if a child is in danger of injuring himself or herself.

"To restrain a child is not appropriate. We will talk to any facility or day care about how they discipline the children and what is OK," said Gwen Carter with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Several parents did not like the way the licensed day care handled the scarf incident because the mother's day out director did not take immediate action when she saw four to five children tied down.

"(It's) unacceptable, inappropriate, it's dangerous. It's extremely dangerous. This is not why parents send their children to this school to have happen to them," parent Pam Welkel said.

The pastor said he believes the state day care-licensing agency will exonerate the staff.

"I'm confident that once the report is out, we'll find out that it was really not much of a story," pastor John Cain said.

If the state decides the violations were severe, officials can shut down the day-care facility.

On Friday, two teachers were fired from the mother's day out program.