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Dakota Nafzinger was born without eyes -- medically referred to as Bilateral Anopthalmia.

(Screenshot from Fox 4)

A Kansas City school punished a student who was born without eyes for misusing his mobility cane by replacing it with a swimming pool noodle.

Rachel Nafzinger, mother of 8-year-old Dakota, says school staff took away her son's cane as punishment for bad behavior on the bus. The pool noodle was then exchanged as a substitute, Fox 4 reports.

North Kansas City School District spokeswoman Michelle Cronk says Dakota hit somebody with his cane while on the bus, Fox 2 reports. She says they took away his cane and gave him a pool noodle because he needed something to hold, as Dakota often fidgets without his cane.

Cronk says that the cane is school property because it was given to Dakota when he enrolled, WGN TV adds.

Dakota's father, Donald Nafzinger, tells WGN that his son sometimes lifts his cane, but the bus driver thought Dakota was using it violently. The Nafzinger family believes the cane was taken as a way of "humiliating" him for misbehaving.

"All around, he's a good little guy, and he shouldn't be treated the way he's being treated," Donald tells WGN.