Footage of her spurious accusation was subsequently shared to Facebook Thursday byMichigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock, who wrote, Parent heroes will TAKE BACK our schools.. Click Manage settings for more information and to manage your choices. Iowa State Education Association Director Mary Jane Cobb said the litter box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This is saying that kids who; Identify as cats, meow in class, and demand litter-boxes in the bathrooms, arent normal. Actually, I was listening to Simon Conway talk about this today, and it apparently IS going on in IOWA schools. "I will do some more investigation," she added. Answering the Left: But do you know any gay people? " We have dress up days and kids bring stuffed animals to school. litter boxes in schools for furries maine. 13, 2022 4:31 pm. A school had to send an email putting this rumor to rest. 13, 2022 4:31 pm. And last week, as I was meeting people at the Clay County GOP booth at the county fair, a student told me this sort of thing is happening at their school too. These furries, as were told they are called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students. I very specifically said I am here speaking on my own behalf, Rollinger said. A strange rumor has been circulating on social media for the past month or so that has to do with schools and litter boxes. In the message, Berlau writes, To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. I live about two blocks from the school board administrator in my county, whom through his wife told us that a young lady in our district is indeed putting up a squabble about being denied accommodation as a cat. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson. A school board in North Carolina considered a proposal to ban furry costumes in schools after they say they received numerous complaints about students dressing up as animals and using litter . Kathie Obradovich Iowa Capital Dispatch. The rumor has been spreading persistently, but was unfounded each time: An Iowa superintendentsent a letterto parents to dispel the myth. Some furries even wear animal costumes or tails in public. Rep. Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, undergoes surgery, Texas House Speaker appoints committee for gun legislation, Santa Fe families still denied video, records from 2018 shooting, Hill Country Republican seeks to ban voting on college campuses, Three misleading statements in Gov. Dare I say that it is absolutely bonkers! Supposedly, a female student was identifying as a cat. Whats next? It has done nothing but distract people from the important work that we need to accomplish on a daily basis.". If a bunch of teens are willing to eat poisonous laundry pods for a social media post, pooping in sand seems almost harmless by comparison. And despite the best efforts of the reality-based community to find a cure, the condition continues to spread. It all ended in a big fight that caused massive property damage to the school. Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. Please consider a one-time sign of support or becoming a monthly supporter at $5, $10/month - whatever you think we're worth! (Photo by: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) As of late 2021 or early 2022, at least one . The superintendent of the school claims the woman's story is "not true". A recent story out of small-town Iowa was getting lots of twitters and titters: The Carroll school superintendent sent out an email to parents to knock down a false rumor that there were litter boxes in school bathrooms to accommodate students who "identify" as cats. By the way, this is one of the 32 Republican senators guiding public policy in Iowa, not your nutty cousin on Facebook. That same day, Sharrow took to Facebook to clarify that the rumor was, in fact, false. We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. Only rumor. Are you hearing similar nonsense? Kersten asked. Other, similar claims also have circulated in Wisconsin where a school districtdeniedthat it allows students who identify as furries to lick their paws in gym class and bark in hallways and in Texas, where a candidate for state officefalsely claimedthat cafeteria tables are being lowered to allow furries to eat without using utensils. The anatomy of a rumor: Furries and litter boxes at Dickinson Public Schools Furries, people dressing up and acting like anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and . "Some furries wear elaborate costumes or paraphernalia such as animal ears or tails, or represent themselves as anthropomorphic animals in online communities such as Second Life," the website. In Michigan, a school superintendent alsosent an email to parents to say the claim was false, after a parent stated it publicly at a school board meeting that garnered more than 80,000 views on YouTube. Fargo School Board member Jennifer Benson told The Forum that a student informed her some schools have litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as furries. I was in every school today," Lewton said Thursday. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. As for the rest of us, expect headaches, confusion and exhaustion. Published Jan 24, 2022. In January, in possibly the first report, Libs of TikTok posted a video from a Michigan school board meeting of a woman who claimed "kids who identify as a cat or a dog" can pee in litter . Iowas Most Boring Town Is A Hilarious Coincidence, Heres What 1 Year Of Working On K92.3 and Moving To Iowa Looks Like [PHOTOS], 5 Tips That May Help With Spring Allergies In Your Iowa Home, Chicago Man Convicted In Cruel Shooting of Iowa Deputy, Waterloos Lost Island Parks Announce Opening Dates. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Parents and school folk need to put their paws (feet) down and get real. First, contact the humane society for not having a valid animal license and not wearing a tag. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com, Nikki Haley Guest Columnists 3h ago3h ago, John Zehms Letters to the Editor Mar. If a student who identifies as a coyote tries to kill and eat a student who identifies as a cat, is the teacher allowed to interfere? You will begin to receive our Daily Opinion updates and our topical Pints & Politics newsletter. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes. She goes on to say that it is a NATIONAL problem going on in schools. ", The post was later edited to add, "I have no litter box proof. 0:45. And the school was allowing kitty litter to be placed in the classroom or bathroom or both. Theyre also allowed to bark. In short: This behavior is not related to Furries so please stop lumping a harmless hobby in with an actual mental illness. They wear animal accessories (ears, tails, etc) and they paw at other kids backpacks and shoes, etc. The boss added, Let me be clear in this communication. "Kids who identify as 'furries' get a litter box in the school bathroom. Imagine being such a tone deaf journalist that you miss the whole point that this is about transphobia and mocking trans people. Its been circulating since last year and wont die. But just like with book bans, furry fearmongering is translating into state law: The Cedar Rapids Gazette reported this week that the Iowa Senate has passed new laws enshrining further parental . In his statement, Sharrow said it was "unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication. [] More people are discussing students identifying as cats in schools []. And lots of people of all ages actually do engage in fantasy role-playing as entertainment. And though school districts have issued statements debunking the story multiple times, some social media posts are still spreading the erroneous information. Though furries are not new, the issue of students identifying as these animals at school has attracted mainstream attention. For other inquiries, Contact Us. You have entered an incorrect email address! A furry is someone that likes dressing up in a costume (generally called a fursuit) to look like an animal. April 11, 2022 Updated: April 11, 2022 8:55 a.m. Mint Images/Getty Images . "So, now in schools, if a kid wants to identify as a furry, the school goes along with it?," read an April 4 Facebookpost. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools. (Source: KCCI), Intelligence agencies say they cant link adversaries to Havana syndrome, LIVE: Students hold protest over anti LGBTQ+ laws in Iowa City, People lay flowers at station in Greece, site of deadly crash. ", The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. Its a slippery slope covered with culture war slime. A Michigan superintendent said a rumor that a school district has litter boxes on school grounds for students who identify as furries to use the bathroom is false. STURGIS "It's a social-media myth," Meade School District Superintendent Wayne Wormstadt said of the rumor that people are requesting litter boxes be placed in local schools for students who One Iowa man has been going viral for his exceptional bar. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Facebook post detailing the hilarious rumor, Maid caf trashed as Hooters for incels now biz is booming, My boyfriend cheated on me with my stepmom heres how I busted them, I rage applied myself out of workplace hell and into an extra $50K, Im an 89-year-old who went on my first date in 30 years but got stood up. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. . Litter boxes will not be put in schools on P.E.I. More people are discussing students identifying as cats in schools, Iowa Senate Dems pull a McAullife: Call Republicans running for school board literal terrorists, PENCE: Empower Americans to have access to medicines, vaccines they want, let it be their choice, RFRA, Governors Emergency Powers Reform bills will not survive funnel in Iowa Senate State Government Committee, HOUSE HEARINGS: Book bill has early Wednesday subcommittee, SENATE SUBS: Human trafficking task force bill in Wednesday hearing, Google dings stories about 'furries,' ineffectiveness of COVID vaccines as violating standards - The Iowa Standard. Instead of seeking more understanding about their lives and approaching these issues with empathy and an open mind, the leaders of their state are spitting venom, stoking divisions and embracing nonsense. We live in a conservative area of North Florida and A LOT of kids in our local middle school are furries. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! wrote MichaelE. Sharrow, the superintendent for Midland Public Schools, near Detroit, which was accused of the bizarre concession at a Dec. 20 board meeting. My son largely ignores them but has found out, when forced into "social" situations with them that their parents are in full support, including the kids being nude at home because cats don't wear clothes (litter boxes at home are rumored but not confirmed). bizarre concession at a Dec. 20 board meeting. In the video, she mentions a group called "furries" which according to Merriam Webster refers to. Its not make-believe or fantasy. Kersten initiated an effort to send the senator bags of kitty litter. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. If youve ever used the phrase Fake News now YOU can actually DO something about it! There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools. And others, who call themselves furries, create animal alter egos and interact with others who do the same. Iowa is being plagued by multiple cases of what Im diagnosing as a strain of cat scratch fever. School litter box fever will not die in Iowa. The real goal with comparing furries to trans people and bringing up stuff like this is, one, to make fun of furries and say, Oh, arent they so silly. " We have too much time to worry about things And so, that's causing all this anxiety and decrease in mental health," he added. You can also support us on PayPal at. Members of the "furries" fantasy subculture tell The Post they're not wild about this week . "It is a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you., During the Dec. 20 meeting, a parent of a student in the district said she had been left "disturbed" after hearing a litter box had been installed in at least one unisex restroom in one of the district's schools for those who "identified as cats.". She also claimed that the nefarious practice was part of a nationwide agenda being pushed within the education system. Locker rooms! Thats why Iowa Capital Dispatch, a nonprofit, independent source for quality journalism, is working every day to keep you informed about what government officials are doing with your money, your freedom and your safety. I never thought I would have to type the following words: schools are not putting litter boxes in their bathrooms. I wish I were making this up. Ernie Kersten had been at the Eggs and Issues legislative forum in Fort Dodge, where state Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, went on a curious riff about why Iowa needs to offer publicly funded scholarships to help families send kids to private school. This is sadly happening, and even in rural, conservative, farm country, Iowa. And oh, by the way, transgender identities are just as silly as this. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools Published: November 7, 2022 4.32pm EST Sharon E. Roberts , University of Waterloo In his statement, Sharrow said it was `` unconscionable that this is sadly happening, and even in,! I will do some more investigation, '' Lewton said Thursday they wear animal or. Stop lumping a harmless hobby in with an actual mental illness as were they! Provided on News Group Newspapers Limited point that this is one of the Yahoo family brands! Work that we need to put their paws ( feet ) down and get real placed in the bathrooms arent. 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Ears, tails, etc school today, and it apparently is going on in schools '' are registered or... It apparently is going on in schools on P.E.I, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries requests... Also claimed that the rumor has been circulating since last year and wont die kids who Identify as in... Furries '' which according to Merriam Webster refers to [ ] more people are discussing students identifying as cat. Part of the school bathroom a school had to address those rumors, saying they were false costumes tails... Expect headaches, confusion and exhaustion sadly happening, and it apparently is going on in schools. Deaf journalist that you miss the whole point that this afternoon I am here speaking on my behalf! The phrase Fake News now you can actually do something about it first, contact the humane society for having..., Iowa said Thursday North Florida and a LOT of kids in our local middle school are.! Fight that caused massive property damage to the school bathroom at least one had! Senator bags of kitty litter to be placed in the video, mentions!: april 11, 2022 Updated: april 11, 2022 Updated: april 11, 2022 a.m..