KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The parents of an eight-year-old boy in Missouri are outraged after they say their blind son's cane was taken away and replaced with a pool noodle.
Dakota Nafzinger, who was born without eyes, attends Gracemor Elementary School in Kansas City. Rachel Nafzinger told WDAF the school took away her son's cane as punishment for bad behavior on the bus and gave him a swimming pool noodle to use as a substitute.
North Kansas City School District Spokeswoman Michelle Cronk confirmed the school took away Dakota's cane, calling it school property that was given to him when he enrolled.
Cronk said the school took the cane after he reportedly struck someone on Monday while riding the bus. Cronk said the boy "fidgets" without his cane, so a pool noodle was given to him as a substitute.
Dakota's father, Donald Nafzinger, said his son lifts his cane sometimes and the bus driver thought he was using it violently.
"They said they were going to give me this for the next two weeks," Dakota said.
Dakota's family claims the cane was taken as a way of "humiliating" him for misbehaving.
"All around, he's a good little guy, and he shouldn't be treated the way he's being treated," Donald Nafzinger said.





















Sam
Sorry, but if he was hitting other children with it, I’d want his cane to be taken away, too! My child shouldn’t have to take being hit with a cane because no one wants to punish a child, whether he is disabled or not.
Todd
So hitting another child with a pool noodle is any better? or his fist? Address the behavior that he is hitting a kid, not what was used. If a kid in a wheelchair was ramming other kids with it, do you take away the wheelchair and say he can pull himself around on the floor with his arms!?
carolyn
Well said
carolyn
Don’t agree with you. It said he was fidgeting. It should of been handled differently. Not by take it away.
carolyn
Don’t agree
Dennis Mullins
Exactly where did you see anything about him hitting anyone, it isn’t mentioned anywhere in the story. you Dumocrats are always reading things in that aren
t there.
Christopher Krause
Maybe they are looking at the obviously bias point of view that this has been written as the idea that he was just fidgeting was given by his father… Maybe the school looked at the video and saw that the boy WAS hitting the kids on the bus with his can. Maybe they have addressed the issue with the boy and his parents and nothing was done and maybe the school has actually done something to protect the other students. If this is truly an issue to the parent, why dont they go buy him a cane? Then the school cannot take it because it is property of the child for his disability, but rather the kid would be suspended for utilization of a weapon.
Jessica
Obviously half the people commenting can’t read. The spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said he struck someone with the cane and the same spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said they gave him the pool noodle because he fidgets without the cane. Plus it says the school originally gave him the cane.
Tina
Ohh, yeah, let’s turn this political for NO reason whatsoever.
Tanya
It does state that he was “the school took the cane after he reportedly struck someone on Monday ” but agree with other comment about biased reporting. Don’t take everything you read to heart. I have my opinion based on the limited information provided but because of it being limited information, I will withhold my comment.
padraighansen
Yeah, this is political. Idiot.
Jessica
Obviously half the people commenting can’t read. The spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said he struck someone with the cane and the same spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said they gave him the pool noodle because he fidgets without the cane. Plus it says the school originally gave him the cane.
sedonia doty
As a blind woman of 73, I am beyond angry to hear that the only way they could think to punish that child was to take his cane which is vital for his mobilization. What about taking someone’s artificial leg, their wheelchair, hearing aide, eyeglasses, etc. SOMAD
so sad
well from their web site they are being rated poorly and getting a lot of mail. A noodle bends and cannot help this child so if he gets hurt yes I see a cruelty case and being sued in their future….shame shame
Jessica
The school gave him the cane. If the parents were worried about him needing a cane the school wouldn’t have had to give him one, he’d already have had one. Plus blind people do not have to have a cane, especially not if they’re hitting people with it.
Diane Mosiello
it did not say he hit the child on purpose..it said he was fidgeting
Christopher Krause
His dad said he was fidgeting… no biased towards his son at all there. good thing there arnt video cameras on school buses, right?
Jessica
Obviously half the people commenting can’t read. The spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said he struck someone with the cane and the same spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said they gave him the pool noodle because he fidgets without the cane. Plus it says the school originally gave him the cane.
Jessica
Nope. It said he struck someone with the cane the school gave him and so the school gave him a pool noodle because he fidgets without the cane. The school spokeswomen said that.
carolyn
They need to blindfold the people who took it from him for a day without a cane. See how there hands fly around when walking. They would think twice about taking that child’s eye away once again. Shame on them. My god bless this child and keep him strong from this cruel behavior from adults and this school. Other action should have been taken
Jessica
The school gave him the cane. Blind people don’t need a cane, look it up. And if the parents were worried about him needing a cane why didn’t he have one already? He apparently managed without a cane before the school gave him one and the parents didn’t get him a cane.
Karen
I can understand taking away the cane until the child exits the bus. After that, it needs to be addressed to the parents and treated as a school offense, but for this child, that cane is his lifeline. A pool noodle is not an acceptable substitute once he got off that bus.
valerie jones
It’s really sad your child isn’t even truly safe at school.. Some people don’t need to work with children… Every child is different and some have disabilities.. Understand the disability and them before taking their cane away really sad!! Better to home school your children this day and age.. You can’t even send your kid to church and school anymore and feel they are safe! Prayers for this little guy and his family..
Daniel Lucas
this bus driver should feel very lucky that this was not my kid. Because had it been he would need a cane for the rest of his life too.
chastity
Was the drivers aide not the driver
Christopher Krause
is everyone ignorant to the fact that the ones being quoted are his parents? obviously they are going to have a bias towards their son and say he was doing nothing wrong. If the issue is he doesnt have a cane now, then shame on his parents for requiring the school to provide thier son with somthing that he needs for his survival first off; why dont they buy him a cane so it can be his. The school has a responsibility to the safety of all student, if he was utilizing the cane in a threatening manor, good for the school to remove the weapon from the child. As i said in another line, the problem probably isnt new, and probably has been addressed with both the parents and the student, but this report wants the wow factor and only tells 1 side of the story and only the recent events of the story.
Amber O
So if one had a prosthetic leg and kicked someone that would justify removing the leg? Most public schools who have disability programs give students items necessary for their disability. If you are def the school has the requirements to provide an fm system and this is no different and something the parents tax dollars pay for. If they wanted to discipline he should have been suspended off the bus and not be forced to have a cane that is necessary for his safety taken away. That’s just cruel.
De
Why do people go to the extreme when trying to make a counter point? No one would take away a prosthetic to stop a child from hitting or kicking-but a cane?Yes-I would have taken it away also if he was hitting with it.Should they have given it back when the child got home-yes-but while on the bus-if the child cannot have it without hitting someone-then take it away..This article is also one sided.We don’t have all the facts.Remember-the bus driver must look after the well being of ALL the children.Not just one.
Tanya
Well said
Christopher Krause
is it the schools property, then i would take the “weapon” away from the child and provide a wheel chair, if he chooses to ram kids, i will suspend him… would you suspend the kid he kick who beat him in retrobution for being attacked? or would you justify it and say, “well its your fault because he doesnt have a leg.” Kids know what they are doing, disability or not they should be held accountible for their actions.
padraighansen
While I agree with teaching kids accountability for their actions, doing so in a way that could impact the safety of a disabled child is idiotic at best. Get a grip.
Jessica
Exactly what I was saying, and everyone keeps quoting what the school said as what the parents said. The school said he was fidgety without the cane they gave him so they replaced it with a pool noodle. Seems like the school is doing more than what’s required of them and the parents didn’t even get him a cane to begin with. Also, most commenting seem to think being blind requires having a cane. If you look it up that seems to be a personal preference depending on the blind person.
Jason
Show me a blind person who is preferring a flexible pool noodle instead of a firm medical approved walking cane?
Jessica
If the kid needed the cane his parents should have got him a cane. He didn’t need the cane apparently until the school gave it to him. Had his parents given him the cane then the school took it then the parents would have a case. For the purpose of feeling if something is in front of you a pool noodle isn’t a cooked noodle brand new they’re pretty firm and would serve the purpose.
mary Engroff
Maybe the cane he has was the schools because the wanted them only to use school property that is why they took the can If I was that child and they gave me that noodle I would of falling on purpose then had my parents sue the school no disable person should be Humiliated
Darrel Crippin
I will buy this child a new cane if you can deliver it.
Christopher Krause
are the parents incapible to contact the organization which provides canes to blind children for free?
Jessica
Blind people can get canes for free.
kimedgar5353
I have the sweetest cutest 9 year old blind child, who also uses a cane. There have been times when she has hit people with her cane. People have said “oh look at that poor little blind girl” and she has ‘accidently’ wacked them with her cane. They automatically assumed there was no way that “poor little blind girl” did that on purpose. She most certainly did. I personally thought it was hilarious. No, it’s not ok, but I was secretly proud of her. She has wacked me with the thing more times then I can count. She has taken me down to the ground in a mall before. There have always been consequences, she has had her cane taken away so many times. She doesn’t do it any more. She did it when she was younger. I think it is hard, and frustrating to be a young blind child that is learning to communicate and trying to understand a world that is visually oriented. What would you expect to happen if you give a frustrated kid (who is not visually impaired) a cane to carry around? I am sure there would be some injuries. I am not saying it’s right, just that this kind of thing is going to happen. My daughter has had her cane taken away many times, it has taken a lot of work, but she has learned how to use her cane, she doesn’t swing on people anymore. I just wish we had thought of the pool noodle, great idea!!!
Mark Pen
Even if the child did hit another child with it, could it have been an accident? Or could it have been he was tapping it while only trying to orient himself to his surroundings & someone got hit? Of course it could. & could the child who “reported” that they were hit stretching the truth because they just don’t like the handicapped boy with the stick? Or maybe they just wanted to get the BLIND boy in trouble? All of these are possible. But to take away a child’s “apparatus” that enables him to acclimate to his surrounding is PATHETIC & CRUEL. The administrators need to obtain the facts & make an informed & appropriate response &/or punishment. Their actions are neither, IE: informed or appropriate.
C Grier
Here’s a link that seems to have information from both sides:
http://www.inquisitr.com/1685693/school-takes-away-blind-childs-seeing-eye-cane-as-punishment-gives-him-humiliating-substitute/
Moe
If this blind child is on an IEP or has a 504, the law is in his side. Is this a Special Education Van or a regular big school bus? This young student should be riding on the van, and maybe the driver could keep his cane up front while he’s seated and give it to him when he needs it to depart.
Amanda
No, it is a $50k fine for taking a white cane away from a person while on public transport. In case of emergency, the cane is required.
steph
I think having his cane taken away is silly. He should not be allowed to use it on the bus if this is where it took place due to it being so enclosed anyways. But he should be allowed to have his cane as far as anywhere else goes. Who knows for sure if this was done out of aggression?? Does the bus have cameras??
Maria Midgett
Guess what people, this boy shouldn’t have never been on a regular school bus to begin with, and that would be the schools fault for not providing a handicap bus or transportation for him, u who are talking about taking the one thing this boy needs to survive u ought to be ashamed of ur self
chastity
That bus had a drivers aide on it so it wasn’t a regular bus
Jessica
If he needed it to survive why did the school have to give him the cane? Why didn’t the parents already have a cane for him? Because if you look it up, having a cane is not a requirement of being blind. It’s a personal preference. The school even gave him a noodle to occupy his hands, seems like the school is doing more than necessary and more than the parents are.
Amanda
He is blind, not stupid. He has every right to ride the bus for normal children.
Brad
First, parents, get him a cane of his own. Ambutech makes good ones. Then it’ll be his property. Second, I’d be all over that school system. You don’t deprive a blind child of a mobility aid. That was wrong and assenine. And oh yes, I’m blind so I know what I’m talking about on this.
Leo J Dreab
I do not agree with the action taken. I also think that the parents should have had a cane for the kid before school started. A free cane can be obtained by http://freecane.nfb.org I would hope that the bus driver and teachers and administrators get some training by a blind instructor and travel under blindfold to get a more enlightened perspective on the importance of a cane.
Deng
Everyone is referencing the “fidgeting” that somehow caused the hitting of another child. Father stated the kid fidgets WITHOUT his cane, thus the decision was made to sub a pool noodle.
This story is so ridiculous. Shame on the school administrators. Enjoy your lawsuit.
Jessica
Obviously half the people commenting can’t read. The spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said he struck someone with the cane and the same spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said they gave him the pool noodle because he fidgets without the cane. Plus it says the school originally gave him the cane.
Stan
Whoever took his cane, need to be caning.
Jessica
Obviously half the people commenting can’t read. The spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said he struck someone with the cane and the same spokeswoman for the SCHOOL said they gave him the pool noodle because he fidgets without the cane. Plus it says the school originally gave him the cane.
padraighansen
Obviously you know how to cut and paste. This seems personal to you.
Jason
You cant take away his only ability to navigate through this planet, that is pretty mean. A flexible pool noodle is insulting the handicap he suffers with daily – this is only adding humiliation to his mental psyche already affect by being blind… no wonder the kid was fidgeting. Shame on the school for setting a horrible example on how to treat the disabled.
In a proven situation of hostility, yes, Inappropriate behavior should be dealt with a detention or suspension or wash police cars. strikes 1 2 3. Not his cane.
I think someone just needs to buy him his own cane…
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=blind+cane&tbm=shop
john
ROFL! That is hilarious!
Billie Collins
If the child is handicapped there should have been a helper on the bus by law.
why couldn’t she have stopped the swinging by a few words to him, some children are not aware of what they are doing might hurt someone,since he can’t see. I can pretty well bet he will be teased now!!
Dennis Martin
Why do all 15 story headlines I’ve seen say “punishes” boy, not “disarmed” him (as it should if he was using as a weapon). But fine all you babies thinking it is unethical or unfair and want to let him keep it, then someone should have taken it away, hit him back with it, then returned it… or let me guess you would say just put him in “timeout”. People that see this as a problem are probably the same people that whined about the death penalty in Texas for the “mentally ill” murderer.
johnross1968borgx
“”That’s his eyes,” the Kansas City mom told WDFA-TV.”
It also appears to be his weapon of choice. Next time just suspend him from school.
Amanda
So what do you do when someone forcably removes something you are wearing and you didn’t see them coming? Smile?
beth
If he was hitting someone, why take the cane away? I someone else was punching someone they wouldn’t punish them by cutting off their hand would they?
Erica
If the boy hit another child then he does need punished but he needs punished in a different way then taking his cane away suspend him or give him in school suspension don’t take his cane away that’s how he sees that’s just wrong the school need to rethink there punishment because if it was a normal child punching another child would u take his hands away or his eyes no they would be suspended or have detention
Marilyn Ewing
This is awful this is a part of his eyes cause he don’t have any what if some one took your childs glasses I don’t think any parent would be happy I would have understood if they took it away well on the bus but then gave it back. When he’s off the bus so the poor kid could get around this isn’t right god bless the family
Amanda
I am vision impaired. This is a very gross violation of civil liberties. It is akin to having someone’s arm cut off because they punched someone once. I know the school thinks they own said white cane, but that is impossible. You see, the school system is not a blind individual. This means that while they can aquire a white cane for a child, they cannot own it. This is an agreement entered into upon purchase or donation request of a cane because it is a crime in many states to use a white cane without vision impairment.
As to hitting others with a cane? Sorry, it is not the child’s problem. See, he is blind. A school is supposed to teach others what this means, not punish for improper use. In fact, there is no improper use of my white cane. If I need it for protection, yes, it is my weapon. I am guessing the child felt threatened when forcefully touched to remove some earphones. Yeah, I’m gonna come out swinging every single time that happens to me. See, I probably didn’t see you coming; that is what the fancy white stick means.
If the bus driver, teacher, and school principal are not on the unemployment line in short order, every blind lawyer in the nation will pounce on this school distrct in short order. Good luck.
Avi Friedman
Obviously the kid is not simply just blind, but is also on the spectrum, can’t hold it against him if he doesn’t know better, but the parents are clearly retarded beyond measure.
Seriously?, he went to his sister concert “With nothing but a pool noodle”? “Nothing”!?
What benign and impotent thoughts must inhabit the vast emptiness of his parents minds? – “Well the school gave him a pool noodle, so clearly there is nothing that can be done [Durr].”, “Junior will just have to learn to accept his fate [Durr].”, “Pool noodle it is!”.
Not to take away from the ominous stupidity of the people who took away his cane in the first place, but was there no one who at no time during the production of this interview, might have gotten a clue to the idea that maybe, just maybe, anything else would be better than a freaking pool noodle?, a broom stick, a dried up tree branch from the ground, anything!