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Missouri school punished blind child by replacing cane with pool toy

j-mac

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A Kansas City school took away the cane of a blind 8-year-old boy Monday and replaced it with a pool noodle as punishment for hitting a classmate, Fox4KC.com reported.

Dakota Nafzinger, who was born with bilateral anopthalmia, which left him without eyes, had the cane confiscated after a bus driver claimed he hit another student with one the school had furnished, according to the channel. In its place, the Gracemor Elementary School student was given the bent, green pool noodle because, according to a North Kansas City School District spokeswoman, he fidgets and needs something to hold.
"They said they were going to give me this (the pool noodle) for the next two weeks," Dakota said.
The boy's father, Donald Nafzinger, said his son lifts the cane at times, but the bus driver thought he was using it to be violent. Nafzinger believes the school is using the pool toy to humiliate his son.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/17/missouri-school-punished-blind-child-by-replacing-cane-with-pool-toy/


What in the hell is the matter with these people?!!! Good grief...So the bus driver looks up in their rearview, and sees Dakota touch someone with his cane, and takes it away to replace it with a pool noodle? Are you kidding me? He/She should be fired.
 
What in the hell is the matter with these people?!!! Good grief...So the bus driver looks up in their rearview, and sees Dakota touch someone with his cane, and takes it away to replace it with a pool noodle? Are you kidding me? He/She should be fired.
I know most school buses come with cameras these days. Have you seen the footage? Do you know the student didn't hit another with the cane?
 
Not enough info. If the kid is actually hitting kids with it they need to do something but it should be in consultation with the parents.
 
It he's hitting kids with it, then he's punished. But that punishment isn't to take away his cane.

If another disabled child is running over kids feet with his motorized chair, and you going to take his chair? Maybe replace it with an inflatable pool toy?
 
What in the hell is the matter with these people?!!! Good grief...So the bus driver looks up in their rearview, and sees Dakota touch someone with his cane, and takes it away to replace it with a pool noodle? Are you kidding me? He/She should be fired.

Strange story. I get punishing the kid for hitting another kid with the cane, but I don't get what purpose it would serve to have him hurt himself without his cane. I think a little logic would have gone a long way here.
 
I know most school buses come with cameras these days. Have you seen the footage? Do you know the student didn't hit another with the cane?

Mornin' Sly...

No, I didn't see any footage, nor do I know if there is any that exists, neither do you I would add. But, what we have here is a bus driver's word that it is what he/she saw, and the Father of the child saying something else. What's next? Some kid in a wheelchair bumps some other kid in a lunch line, so the school takes the wheelchair and forces the kid to crawl? And would you support that?

Look, obviously the school knows they were in the wrong, because they came to the house, only after the story hit the news, and gave the cane back...So, go ahead and back these bullies if you want, not me brother...
 
I know most school buses come with cameras these days. Have you seen the footage? Do you know the student didn't hit another with the cane?

Lots of kids hit each other at that age. He probably did hit him. Usually the punishment is more along the lines of staying with the teacher during recess or making him go to the Principal's office. It doesn't usually involve punishment of removing something that the child needs to function normally or comfortably.
 
Strange story. I get punishing the kid for hitting another kid with the cane, but I don't get what purpose it would serve to have him hurt himself without his cane. I think a little logic would have gone a long way here.

IF that's what happened....The father says that the boy sometimes "lifts" his cane, and the school calls it "figgitting", as evidenced by school administrators speaking with his mother calling it "his figgit stick".... Could be that the driver saw a glimpse of the boy with the cane lifted and touching someone else, and thought he/she saw something that didn't happen, then their first response was to take the cane? What kind of Sadists do we have in our kids schools? Talk about bullying.
 
It he's hitting kids with it, then he's punished. But that punishment isn't to take away his cane.

If another disabled child is running over kids feet with his motorized chair, and you going to take his chair? Maybe replace it with an inflatable pool toy?

Couldn't agree more Sam...This is sadistic...And the thing here is that no one in the administration of the school acted to rectify the wrong here until the story hit the news.
 
IF that's what happened....The father says that the boy sometimes "lifts" his cane, and the school calls it "figgitting", as evidenced by school administrators speaking with his mother calling it "his figgit stick".... Could be that the driver saw a glimpse of the boy with the cane lifted and touching someone else, and thought he/she saw something that didn't happen, then their first response was to take the cane? What kind of Sadists do we have in our kids schools? Talk about bullying.

I agree. If the story is completely true, there is a sadist element to it. It doesn't make sense to do this kind of thing, even if the kid did hit another kid.

If he beat the kid mercilessly with the cane, then they would have to find another way to punish him. And get him therapy. But none of that would involve replacing his cane with a noodle. That seems pretty twisted to me.
 
Couldn't agree more Sam...This is sadistic...And the thing here is that no one in the administration of the school acted to rectify the wrong here until the story hit the news.

I can't think of anything worse than being blind. To replace a cane with an inflatable pool toy just to punish or teach a lesson is cruel! If he's hitting kids with it, it's out of frustration. How would you feel in the same shoes? The kids with sight can see him and get out of the way of his cane; what choices does he have if they're taunting him?
 
Mornin' Sly...

No, I didn't see any footage, nor do I know if there is any that exists, neither do you I would add.
I don't, but I'm not the one passing judgment.

But, what we have here is a bus driver's word that it is what he/she saw, and the Father of the child saying something else.
So we have the word of someone who was actually there against the parent who wasn't there.

I know whose word I'm more likely to take, especially if the bus has cameras like many do these days.

What's next? Some kid in a wheelchair bumps some other kid in a lunch line, so the school takes the wheelchair and forces the kid to crawl? And would you support that?
I'm not supporting anything.

Look, obviously the school knows they were in the wrong, because they came to the house, only after the story hit the news, and gave the cane back
That doesn't mean they were in the wrong, it just means it's easier than dealing with a bunch of crap, not to mention prevents a frivolous lawsuit which would cost the school loads of money.

Maybe the school was in the wrong, I don't know. But that's the difference...I'm not saying they were or were not in the wrong because I don't know. Let's compare to how you've handled it...

...So, go ahead and back these bullies if you want, not me brother...
So you don't have any idea whether the child was hitting someone or if he has hit others before, but you're going to go ahead and take sides anyways.

I guess that's just the difference between us...I prefer facts and you prefer quick outrage and name-calling.
Lots of kids hit each other at that age.
And if a child hits another with an object, we take the object away.

He probably did hit him. Usually the punishment is more along the lines of staying with the teacher during recess or making him go to the Principal's office. It doesn't usually involve punishment of removing something that the child needs to function normally or comfortably.
I suspect this child has an aide with him 100% of the time he's at school. I doubt the punishment is as bad as some of you are trying to make it sound.
 
And if a child hits another with an object, we take the object away.

I suspect this child has an aide with him 100% of the time he's at school. I doubt the punishment is as bad as some of you are trying to make it sound.

If a kid hit another kid with a schoolbook we wouldn't take it away so he couldn't participate in class. If a kid hit another kid with his shoe we wouldn't take it away so he would end up shoeless.

Having an aide at school isn't the same thing as having a cane. And what's the point of the noodle anyway? None. Noodles don't help blind people.
 
If a kid hit another kid with a schoolbook we wouldn't take it away so he couldn't participate in class.
Umm...yeah, I could easily see that happening actually. Especially if there was a pattern.

If a kid hit another kid with his shoe we wouldn't take it away so he would end up shoeless.
The school didn't buy the shoe. The school did buy the cane.

Having an aide at school isn't the same thing as having a cane.
Umm, you're right, it's much better.

And what's the point of the noodle anyway? None. Noodles don't help blind people.
But it helps fidgety people, which was apparently the reason they gave it to him.

Schools are not always in the right. They do dumb things at times. But, generally speaking, I've found when a parent runs to the news, it's usually the parent/child combination who intentionally omits important information from the news station. When the parent in this case says, "his son lifts the cane at time", that to me is code for "he's hit other students before, but I'm not going to tell the news this because it will make me and my son look worse".

And yes, I know of MANY cases where a parent runs to the news and omits important information or outright lies about it.
 
Umm...yeah, I could easily see that happening actually. Especially if there was a pattern.

The school didn't buy the shoe. The school did buy the cane.

Umm, you're right, it's much better.

But it helps fidgety people, which was apparently the reason they gave it to him.

Schools are not always in the right. They do dumb things at times. But, generally speaking, I've found when a parent runs to the news, it's usually the parent/child combination who intentionally omits important information from the news station. When the parent in this case says, "his son lifts the cane at time", that to me is code for "he's hit other students before, but I'm not going to tell the news this because it will make me and my son look worse".

And yes, I know of MANY cases where a parent runs to the news and omits important information or outright lies about it.

I also know of cases where parents lie. I don't recall saying anything otherwise? And I also said in my third post in this thread:

I agree. If the story is completely true, there is a sadist element to it. It doesn't make sense to do this kind of thing, even if the kid did hit another kid.

If he beat the kid mercilessly with the cane, then they would have to find another way to punish him. And get him therapy. But none of that would involve replacing his cane with a noodle. That seems pretty twisted to me.

So is your argument that you just don't believe the story? Okay, then say that. I'm debating about the punishment (again assuming the story is completely true), not parents lying about things.

By the way, do you have kids in school? I do. They are most certainly allowed to take away things from children that we parents bought. So "The school did buy the cane" is not relevant to my post. And no, the punishment for kids doesn't usually involve taking away their school books so they can't participate. To kids that isn't a punishment. It's a gift.

And as far as an aide being better for a kid than his own cane so he can be independent, sorry, have to disagree. I know blind people. They have no interest in being beholden to another human being and helpless. Kids included.
 
I know most school buses come with cameras these days. Have you seen the footage? Do you know the student didn't hit another with the cane?

Then punish the kid, don't take his eyes away from him. What if he was on crutches? You take his crutches away?

This is another example of how education and intelligence aren't the same thing.
 
If the kid was hitting others in the face or eyes, I can understand the cane being replaced with something of similar utility with less capability to do harm. I'm not sure if a foam noodle is a great replacement, but it isn't an inflatable pool toy - there is some rigidity to the thing. All noodles are a little bent, but I doubt it was such a bend that would prevent the kid from using it like a cane.
 
Oh my it's another sensationalist piece from FOX news that doesn't give all the facts. No surprise there. At least they are not blaming Obama this time.
 
I agree. If the story is completely true, there is a sadist element to it. It doesn't make sense to do this kind of thing, even if the kid did hit another kid.

If he beat the kid mercilessly with the cane, then they would have to find another way to punish him. And get him therapy. But none of that would involve replacing his cane with a noodle. That seems pretty twisted to me.

I would say it's fairly standard procedure to remove the item being used as a weapon, at the very least temporarily.
 
...Dakota Nafzinger, who was born with bilateral anopthalmia, which left him without eyes, had the cane confiscated after a bus driver claimed he hit another student with one the school had furnished, according to the channel. In its place, the Gracemor Elementary School student was given the bent, green pool noodle because, according to a North Kansas City School District spokeswoman, he fidgets and needs something to hold.


So did the school provide the cane to the boy? Why wouldn't he have his own cane? Was it the same cane the bus driver saw him hit another student with?

If the boy is hitting people with his cane, then taking it away and giving him a 'pool noodle' to hold was the right thing to do. Why is this news?
 
I also know of cases where parents lie. I don't recall saying anything otherwise?
I never said you did. Not everything is adversarial.

So is your argument that you just don't believe the story?
No, my argument is that we don't know the real story. So it would be unwise to pass judgment on anyone.

By the way, do you have kids in school? I do.
I work at a school in Missouri. So if we're comparing who has more authority on this topic...
They are most certainly allowed to take away things from children that we parents bought.
But they don't keep them. They return them at the end of the day, or when a parent comes to pick up the item.

So "The school did buy the cane" is not relevant to my post.
It's incredibly relevant. The school purchased the cane for the student to help the student...but if the student is just using it as a weapon, they have every right to take it back.

And no, the punishment for kids doesn't usually involve taking away their school books so they can't participate.
We have taken away kids access to the Internet at school numerous times, which prevents them from doing their research online, forcing them to use extra effort to get their assignment done. So don't tell me schools don't do this kind of thing.

And as far as an aide being better for a kid than his own cane so he can be independent
I didn't say that. I said an aide is better for a student than a cane, and that's 100% correct.

I know blind people.
I teach students with vision impairments. Again, if we're comparing who has more authority on the topic...
Then punish the kid, don't take his eyes away from him.
They didn't take his eyes, they took the weapon.
What if he was on crutches? You take his crutches away?
Is he using the crutches to assault another student?

This is another example of how education and intelligence aren't the same thing.
No, it's just another example of how those who want to be outraged will always find a way to do so, and the facts be damned.
 
I never said you did. Not everything is adversarial.

No, my argument is that we don't know the real story. So it would be unwise to pass judgment on anyone.

I work at a school in Missouri. So if we're comparing who has more authority on this topic...
But they don't keep them. They return them at the end of the day, or when a parent comes to pick up the item.

It's incredibly relevant. The school purchased the cane for the student to help the student...but if the student is just using it as a weapon, they have every right to take it back.

We have taken away kids access to the Internet at school numerous times, which prevents them from doing their research online, forcing them to use extra effort to get their assignment done. So don't tell me schools don't do this kind of thing.

I didn't say that. I said an aide is better for a student than a cane, and that's 100% correct.

I teach students with vision impairments. Again, if we're comparing who has more authority on the topic...
They didn't take his eyes, they took the weapon.
Is he using the crutches to assault another student?

No, it's just another example of how those who want to be outraged will always find a way to do so, and the facts be damned.

Okay, you think it's great that the school took away the cane from a blind kid. I don't. Humiliation by noodle isn't my idea of an appropriate way to deal with this.

I'm glad you teach kids with vision impairments.
 
Not enough info. If the kid is actually hitting kids with it they need to do something but it should be in consultation with the parents.

BINGO!!! There's not enough information available to make a valid judgment. For all we know the kid is a little brat who uses his blindness as an excuse to be a bully. Or he might be the greatest kid you've ever met and is getting the shaft from an over-reactive official. We don't know enough and what we do know is coming primarily from one side and not the other. If there is an issue with the kid, then a solution that works to deal with his behavior in such a way as to keep both him and his classmates safe needs to be found.
 
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