School Replaces Blind Child’s Cane With A Pool Noodle

A Missouri school is under fire for replacing a blind child’s cane with a pool noodle. North Kansas City School District Spokeswoman Michelle Cronk said Dakota Nafzinger’s cane was confiscated for safety reasons. However, Dakota’s parents said the 8-year-old boy needs his cane to navigate thorough his surroundings.

Dakota was born with a condition called Bilateral Anopthalmia. Essentially, he was born without eyes. Although it has not been easy, Dakota’s parents want his life to be as “normal” as possible.

Like many children, the 8-year-old boy enjoys fishing, singing, and swimming. He also enjoys attending Gracemor Elementary School with all his friends.

When Dakota enrolled at Gracemor, the school provided him with a cane. However, on Monday, the school replaced the blind child’s cane with a pool noodle.

As reported by Fox 4 KC, Dakota is accused of using his cane as a weapon. On December 15, the boy reportedly struck another child with his cane. In an attempt to prevent future injuries, school officials confiscated the cane and replaced it with the foam noodle.

Dakota’s father, Donald, said his son was wrongly accused. According to Donald, the boy often uses his can to identify objects in his environment. He believes the gesture was misunderstood by the bus driver.

His mother, Rachel, said the pool noodle is a poor substitute for an assistive cane. She said he son has “gone through so much in his life already,” and his cane is vital to help him safely navigate through his surroundings.

School officials insist the blind child’s cane was replaced with a pool noodle to protect him and his classmates. They further explained that the cane is actually considered school property.

According to spokeswoman Cronk, the noodle was not meant to function in place of the cane. Instead, it was meant to give Dakota “something to hold,” as he often “fidgets” when his hands are empty.

Dakota said he simply cannot navigate with the noodle, as he “can’t feel things” like he does with his cane. The 8-year-old said the school promised to return the cane after a period of two weeks.

As Dakota’s story went viral, the school issued a public apology. In the official statement, the North Kansas City School District admitted “that a mistake was made in making sure the student was in possession of his cane.” The district also stated that they were “working to rectify the situation.”

Following the public outcry, school officials personally apologized for replacing the blind child’s cane with a pool noodle. They also responded to the Nafzinger home to personally return Dakota’s cane.

[Image via WHNT]