KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- The mother of an eight-year-old boy born without eyes said she was outraged when her son' s school took away his cane and replaced it with a pool noodle. Schools officials in North Kansas City told Fox4KC they took away the cane because Dakota Nafzinger, 8, hit someone on the school bus with it.
While the school system said it made the decision so Dakota would not be a threat to himself or others, Dakota's mom said the decision was simply a way to humiliate the child.
"Why would you do that? Why would you take the one thing that he’s supposed to use all the time? That’s his eyes," his mother said. "He’s gone through so much in his life already, eight years, eight years, and I just don’t like someone else putting my son in that position."
The school spokesperson said they gave Dakota a pool noodle because he fidgets and needs to hold on to something.
Dakota’s father said while his son does lift his cane from time to time and said the bus driver thought Dakota was using it violently.
"All around, he’s a good little guy, and he shouldn’t be treated the way he’s being treated," Donald Nafzinger said.
