[nfbwatlk] School Punishes Blind 8-Year-Old By Replacing His Cane With a Pool Noodle

[Nightingale, Noel]

http://time.com/3639778/blind-boy-cane-noodle-dakota-nafzinger/#3639778/blind-boy-cane-noodle-dakota-nafzinger/
School Punishes Blind 8-Year-Old By Replacing His Cane With a Pool Noodle
12
12.17.14  Laura Stampler

Administrators have since apologized
Administrators at a Missouri elementary school punished<http://wtkr.com/2014/12/17/school-punishes-blind-child-by-taking-away-cane-replacing-it-with-a-pool-noodle/> a blind student for misbehaving on the bus Monday by confiscating his cane and replacing it with a pool noodle so he wouldn't "fidget."
North Kansas City School District spokeswoman Michelle Cronk confirmed that the cane-which was "school property" provided to 8-year-old Dakota Nafzinger upon enrollment-was taken after he reportedly used it to strike someone on the bus, a local Fox affiliate reports<http://wtkr.com/2014/12/17/school-punishes-blind-child-by-taking-away-cane-replacing-it-with-a-pool-noodle/>. Dakota's father said that his son, who was born blind, sometimes lifts his cane, which might have been misinterpreted as a violent act. The Nafzingers say the school gave Dakota a pool noodle to humiliate him for misbehaving.
"Why would you do that?" Dakota's mother asked Fox. "Why would you take the one thing that he's supposed to use all the time? That's his eyes."
Dakota said he was told he would use the noodle for two weeks.
Gracemor Elementary School posted an apology on its Facebook page Wednesday.
[cid:image005.jpg at 01D01AA5.52698F00]<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gracemor-Elementary-School/493793243971805>
[cid:image006.png at 01D01AA5.52698F00]Profile<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gracemor-Elementary-School/493793243971805>
Gracemor Elementary School<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gracemor-Elementary-School/493793243971805?fref=nf>
Elementary School * 539 Likes
* 22 hrs<https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=918576818160110&id=493793243971805> *
The District has reviewed the situation. We regret that a mistake was made in making sure the student was in possession of his cane when he boarded the bus Monday evening.
The District has apologized to the family and is working to rectify the situation. When we were made aware of the mistake, corrections were made.
It is always the District's policy when we become aware of situations like this, we thoroughly and immediately investigate to ensure a safe learning environment for all students.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_noodle
A pool noodle (also known as a water log or woggle in the UK) is a cylindrical piece of polyethylene<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene> foam, sometimes hollow. Pool noodles are used by people of all ages while swimming.
Pool noodles are useful when learning to swim<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_swimming>, for floating, for rescue reaching, in various forms of water play, and for aquatic exercise. The most common dimensions are about 160 cm (5'3") in length and 7 cm (2.5") in diameter.

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