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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/
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?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?
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?
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.
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?
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.
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 don't, but I'm not the one passing judgment.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.
So we have the word of someone who was actually there against the parent who wasn't there.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.
I'm not supporting anything.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?
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.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 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....So, go ahead and back these bullies if you want, not me brother...
And if a child hits another with an object, we take the object away.Lots of kids hit each other at that age.
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.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.
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.
Umm...yeah, I could easily see that happening actually. Especially if there was a pattern.If a kid hit another kid with a schoolbook we wouldn't take it away so he couldn't participate in class.
The school didn't buy the shoe. The school did buy the cane.If a kid hit another kid with his shoe we wouldn't take it away so he would end up shoeless.
Umm, you're right, it's much better.Having an aide at school isn't the same thing as having a cane.
But it helps fidgety people, which was apparently the reason they gave it to him.And what's the point of the noodle anyway? None. Noodles don't help blind people.
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 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 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?
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.
...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.
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.
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 never said you did. Not everything is adversarial.I also know of cases where parents lie. I don't recall saying anything otherwise?
No, my argument is that we don't know the real story. So it would be unwise to pass judgment on anyone.So is your argument that you just don't believe the story?
I work at a school in Missouri. So if we're comparing who has more authority on this topic...By the way, do you have kids in school? I do.
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.They are most certainly allowed to take away things from children that we parents bought.
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.So "The school did buy the cane" is not relevant to my post.
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 no, the punishment for kids doesn't usually involve taking away their school books so they can't participate.
I didn't say that. I said an aide is better for a student than a cane, and that's 100% correct.And as far as an aide being better for a kid than his own cane so he can be independent
I teach students with vision impairments. Again, if we're comparing who has more authority on the topic...I know blind people.
They didn't take his eyes, they took the weapon.Then punish the kid, don't take his eyes away from him.
Is he using the crutches to assault another student?What if he was on crutches? You take his crutches away?
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.This is another example of how education and intelligence aren't the same thing.
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.
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.
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