[48], In December 2021, conservative activist Lisa Hansen[6] in Michigan gave public testimony before the Midland Public Schools school board as it discussed COVID-19 testing requirements for students,[13] claiming she was informed that litter boxes had been added in bathrooms for students who "identify as cats", along with claiming that it was a "nationwide" issue and that there was an "agenda that is being pushed". Don Bolduc, Republican candidate for New Hampshire senator, is one of the latest conservative politicians to repeat the hearsay that schools are providing litter boxes Litter boxes will not be put in schools on P.E.I. But that in reality, furrydom is about imagination and community, not transformation: Its through this aesthetic interest that theyre able to endeavor on role-play, and join nerdy communities to express that creativity, he said. Lamoille schools are not alone in being targeted by litter box rumors. "I think a lot of people thought this was a joke, and it's not a joke.". Contrary to Stocktons claims, identifying as an animal is not a protected characteristic in U.S. law. I want to be sure that our school is providing the community with opportunities to engage with us. [63][64] In New York, administrators for Dansville Central School refuted litter box rumors after an Instagram post received thousands of views. Its this connection that concerns Lamoille North superintendent Catherine Gallagher the most, who reiterated her support for the districts LGBTQ community and derided the rumors as harmful. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. ", "GOP legislator backtracks on claims students meow, bark, use litter boxes", "Minnesota GOP nominee for governor claimed kids are using litter boxes in schools it's an internet hoax", "How an urban myth about litter boxes in schools became a GOP talking point", "Did a Michigan School District Install Litter Boxes in Bathrooms? Jim Baize, who is Ruth Baize's husband, compared furries to gender identity in comments of his own on Monday. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Please try again. Is furry an orientation? [41][42], The only known official instance of cat litter being placed in school classrooms for potential use by students was in the late 2010s by the Jefferson County Public School District in Colorado, where the 1999 Columbine High School massacre took place. Ask SAM: Are there really litter boxes in school restrooms? Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow sent a message to the school district to address the claim. Whats on the minds of heartland voters in the year 2022? [7] Rumors sparked public outcry and calls for administrative action from concerned parents,[38] with a school board in Statesville, North Carolina proposing a formal ban on animal costumes. Not to say that a teacher cannot lose control of a classroom from time to time, but not in these circumstances. Theres a lot more of this. the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. She is a co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project/Furscience. Anything is possible and I cant disprove a negative. [49] The rumors later gained traction in January 2022, after a video of the school board meeting was shared by Meshawn Maddock, the co-chair for the Michigan Republican Party, who promoted the rumors. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. When school districts are named, all the districts have denied that they have litter boxes in bathrooms. There was a problem saving your notification. You have permission to edit this article. In a now deleted tweet, Dungy said, Some school districts are putting litter boxes in the school bathrooms for students who identify as cats. Youre not the only one.. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools, Sharrow wrote. Reuters has fact checked claims around furries in U.S. schools in the past and found no evidence of them disrupting classrooms or schools developing a policy of West Meadows Townhome Homeowners Association, Paragliders soar past second highest mountain in the world, Venus may have 'evolving' surface, constantly changing due to subsurface bubbling, Millions at Risk of Slipping Into Poverty as COVID-Era SNAP Benefits Set to End, More than 300 words have been added to the English dictionary. Joe Strike doesnt see this timing as a coincidence: Theyre trying to tie it together into this anti-trans thing and anti-gay thing. WebA Michigan school district has debunked a wild claim that a school provided litter boxes for students who identified as "furries" people who dress up as anthropomorphic animals. MIDLAND, Mich. (WILX/Gray News) A superintendent in Michigan is trying to clear up any misconceptions or rumors about a conspiracy theory regarding students who identify as cats.. Why are we telling elementary kids that they get to choose their gender this week? Ask SAM: Where is the origin of the term 'hunker down'? However, most furries fursonas are wild and mythical animals, such as foxes, wolves and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Or they applied for an extension, giving them until October 17 to file their returns. He later said that he had not verified the claim was true prior to sharing it. Rumors persist: Kids arent using litter boxes, school officials say, Morrisville Walgreens to close amid state scrutiny, Elmore resident, Stowe High grad dies in ski accident, Why Vermont can evict Vail from Mount Mansfield, Neighbors protest alternative cell tower location, Student challenges educator for Lamoille South school board, Lamoille County Sheriffs Department statistics, Feb. 10-16, Students cry foul on college cuts to programs, Early morning fire on Spear Street totals new housing development. Education administrators firmly denied it, but a school board candidate in the state nevertheless invoked the specter of schools befouled by bodily excretion nonsense that would cause your jaw to drop.. And such an identity would not be protected by law.. News, arts, events, community and more from the Vermont Community Newspaper Group. Bronski agreed that children identifying as animals and disrupting classrooms was not a genuine phenomenon. However, its worth noting there are many marginalized statuses within the furry community. (The district said the worksheets were fake and not affiliated with its schools.). [85] At a campaign event, congresswoman Lauren Boebert alleged that litter boxes were being provided to students who identify as cats in Durango, Colorado, which administrators for the local school district said were untrue. Midland 69-year-old suffers stroke in his home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. I heard that at least one of our schools in our town has in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats, a concerned parent claimed during a Board of Education meeting in December. The artist Dorian Electra, at every concert venue they go to, they put litter boxes in the bathroom. [18] During an interview with Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. [6][20], Furries are a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters, with fandom members frequently often interacting with others through online roleplay, art, conventions and cosplay. [109] Todd Dorman of The Gazette made a similar argument. Associated Press reported that the post was shared more than 10,000 times. Threats of harming another Let me be clear in this communication: There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation. [95], American football television commentator Tony Dungy posted statement on twitter promoting the hoax on January 18, 2023. [6], School boards in the late 2010s and early 2020s saw heightened controversy (described by some as a moral panic[31] or culture war[32]) surrounding accomodations for transgender, non-binary, and otherwise gender-variant students, such as unisex restrooms, and allowing students to use bathrooms and participate on sports teams corresponding to their gender identities. WebOh come on, everyone knows that litterboxes for furries are made by Prison Industries. Winston-Salem police closed Burke Street for several hours this morning as detectives investigate the second killing there in as many months. This whole furry thing has just got me. [102][103], Elizabeth Brown from Reason suggested the litter box rumors became popular due to "lin[ing] up perfectly with conservative fears about transgender and non-binary students". Ive heard this and find it hard to believe. Have you heard of cosplay, where people costume as characters? When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Ensuring that all our students feel welcome in our communities is work that never ends, so our school continues to make sure that all of our students feel welcome, even as people outside of our schools spread false and demeaning rumors.. Don't threaten. For most people furries included these arent exactly conditions that put them in the mood.. Some conservative politicians and commentators have said that schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms for people who identify as animals, often not identifying the districts by name. Fursuits are usually worn on special occasions a parade, meet-up or convention. Fact check: No, schools aren't providing litter boxes for students who identify as furries. Be truthful. [104] Kelly Weill from The Daily Beast argued that the politicization of furries in classrooms was a proxy for the broader cultural discussion about race and gender issues. Q: Is there any truth to the cat litter in school bathrooms? However, after years of research, information is now available to help correct the record. [42] Later in the same month, two Republican lawmakers in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Steve Drazkowski and Tim Miller, repeated debunked stories about schools providing litter boxes in a debate about a statewide student survey. Having a fursona doesnt mean that a furry owns a fursuit (a mascot-like outfit), and only 15 to 25 per cent of furries have them. [11][73] Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl falsely claimed that schools in the state were recognizing cat identities of students. Harmful misinformation about furries is running rampant on social media and even being promoted to some school boards. No evidence. Psychology professor Elizabeth Fein, who also researches furries and therians, told Reuters: While therians recognize they have human bodies, they might also feel they have the reincarnated soul of a wolf, or that they have a sense of affinity with cats that is so deep that they are on some level a cat themselves. Keep it clean. [61] Despite several rumors in the Midwest being debunked, rumors circulated on internet forums in Cache Valley, Utah, about litter boxes being placed in Sky View High School, which schools officials could not corroborate. The inclusive nature of the furry fandom means that, for many furries, its a safe place where they can be their most authentic selves. [71], In August 2022, rumors of litter boxes were directed at two high schools in South Carolina. 5:55 Rumours about litter boxes in schools for students identifying as cats are false, Norbert Carpenter tells CBC News: Compass host Steve Bruce Litter boxes will not And yet, despite our having studied thousands of furries, weve found no evidence to support this If there is an epidemic of kids howling and meowing in schools, youd think it would be easier to find them and put them in front of a camera (or, at very least, one of their teachers!).. Please subscribe to keep reading. Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., #100, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Outrage and fearmongering over furries is not new, but the recent hysteria is very connected with our current momentreignited, perhaps, by the current vogue for lamenting woke school curriculum, and giving parents greater control over their kids education. Im staying calm, but Im not happy about it, she said. Checking back? Rumours about litter boxes in schools for students identifying as cats are false, Norbert Carpenter tells CBC News: Compass host Steve Bruce, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Write an article and join a growing community of more than 160,300 academics and researchers from 4,571 institutions. Two months ago, someone asked me about that via email and asked if it was true, Heraty said. We do have some specialized cleaning kits specifically for emergency bodily fluid clean up and they do include a granular, absorbent substance that helps absorb and solidify bodily fluid in a safe way. Plante and other researchers who spoke to Reuters all said the Facebook clip from Walshs documentary conflated furries with therians. Weve never observed litter boxes at any of the dozens of furry conventions weve attended internationally. Will This Make Biden Acknowledge the Supreme Court Is Out of Control? Join our group of dedicated readers today Plan a magical wedding day in Vermont, whether ablaze with fall color, capped with snow, or lush with the green of summer. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. [20] Several parents of school-age children have amplified the hoax on social media websites such as Facebook. Its a fandom. Thank you for signing in! The school district has denied the claim. Many of the litter box rumours also fixate on cats. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools, After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News, COVID-19 misinformation in the Philippines, Historical distortion regarding Ferdinand Marcos, Disinformation in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Media censorship and disinformation during the Gezi Park protests, Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Litter_boxes_in_schools_hoax&oldid=1141965866, LGBT-related controversies in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 20:18. You continue to enjoy our free content schools in South Carolina address the claim was true, said... Interview with Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D people thought this was a joke and... 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