Dakota Nafzinger, a blind 8-year-old boy, had his cane taken away from school officials and replaced with a pool noodle after allegedly hitting a classmate with his cane on the bus.

School Takes Blind Student’s Cane As Punishment

On Monday, a bus driver claimed Nafzinger hit a fellow classmate on the school bus. As punishment, his cane, which is school property, was taken away and replaced by a pool noodle. Nafzinger told Fox 4 KC that school officials told him that he would get his cane back after two weeks. A spokesperson for the school district confirmed that they had confiscated the cane, but said that they gave him the pool noodle only because Nafzinger needed something to hold.

“It’s a lot harder with this – can’t feel things,” Nafzinger told reporters.

After the story went viral, the North Kansas City School District examined the case and released a statement on Wednesday claiming that they had returned the cane to Nafzinger. “The District has apologized to the family and is working to rectify the situation,” reads the statement. “When we were made aware of the mistake, corrections were made.”

Meanwhile, Nafzinger’s mother, Rachel Nafzinger, took to Facebook to state her version of events. On Wednesday, Rachel wrote on Facebook that her son did not hit another student with his cane, as was reported, but in fact hit a bus aid by accident. Furthermore, reports suggested that Nafzinger had been without a cane until the start of the new school year, explaining why the school was allowed to confiscate his cane in the first place. (The cane was given to Nafzinger by the school district at the beginning of the school year, and the school district claimed it was school property.) Rachel Nafzinger insisted that her son had previously been provided with a cane by CCVI (Children’s Center for Visually Impaired in Kansas City), but was given a new one by the school after he grew out of it.

Rachel also took to Facebook to address supporters, many of whom, it seems, offered to buy Nafzinger his own cane. Rachel thanked them and encouraged the public to donate to organizations that help the blind, writing, “To everyone who offered to help Dakota Nafzinger with a new cane we thank you. I think he’s covered but if you want to help please donate that $15 to CCVI or any local blind school or blind foundation in his name. There are lots of children going without.”