Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. The buckets also contain candy for diabetic students, a map of the school, flashlights, wet wipes and first aid items. Then, there was the news of Lia Thomas, the male transgender swimmer who competed for the female swimming team at the University of Pennsylvania. In a word, Sharrow told community members that if it sounds too wacky to be true, it probably is. Thats the problem. A SCOTTISH secondary school has had to deny reports that some of its pupils were identifying as cats and defecating on the floor after school officials refused to provide a litterbox. Its only used to kind of sensationalize untruth, and to harm our community, in particular our transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive youth, said Nadine Bridges, executive director of One Colorado, an LGBTQ rights organization, when asked about the litter box rumors. "Apparently, from what I understand, theyre called 'furries,'" the grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY. I dont want to lose readers by wading into a political landmine field, but most importantly I dont want anyone to feel unwelcome on this site. Inthe Dec. 21, 2021, YouTube video, which now has more than 91,000 views, a woman said during the Midland Public Schools board meeting that she was told there wasa litter box in the bathroom of at least one local school for students who self-identify as cat "furries" people who adopt and identify with an anthropomorphized animal persona, often within online or local communities of furries. The Meade County School district is dealing with an unusual situation: a group of high school students is attending school acting like and dressing as cats.The superintendent tells WLKY the situation is being addressed, but according to a concerned grandparent, its an ongoing problem that has many students on edge. Furthermore, there's no evidence that any schools in Michigan installed litterboxes for their students. In one of the images, she appears to be crawling on her hands and knees. Accessed 5 Apr. Accountability is not a crime.. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The superintendent tells WLKY the. In an Oct. 19, 2021, Facebook post, the Public Schools Branch of Prince Edward Island said that for several months it had fielded calls, been sent emails and been pointed to numerous social media posts that make broad sweeping assertions regarding students who identify as cats. Among the policies is one stating students, staff and visitors may use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. The district's superintendent said in a public statement that "there have never been litter boxes within (Midland Public) schools.". She said the issue gained attention on social media once people started sharing photos and videos of the feline costumes and behavior, "I started getting videos and messages from kids, and I said, 'Ok, Im going to post this so parents know whats going on.'". Special access for subscribers! The woman went on to say that if she did not follow through with their request then she would essentially be let go. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with. Lets get that debate started! Author lied. We should all be sympathetic to these people, which is why we should not enable any of their delusions. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. It's The #2 BEST Way To . Accessed 5 Apr. Human civilization has to put a halt to these destructive behaviors. arguments have been used throughout history, such as comparing interracial and homosexual relationships to bestiality and pedophilia. In April 2022, a false rumor about a school district in Wisconsin implementing a set of "furry protocols" in order to deal with a rash of students who were "identifying as cats" was presented as genuine news on a conservative podcast. John DePetro Show In general, "furries" are people who adopt and identify with an anthropomorphized animal persona, often within online or local communities of other furries, says Furscience, the public face of a team of researchers who study the subculture. Hananoki, Eric. On Facebook, public posts show variations of the claim popping up throughout the country every day, citing unnamed grandchildren or neighbors, from Florida to California. "Two-spirit" is a term used by some Native Americans to describe community members who identify with a third gender or other gender variants. Its a lot easier to weather calls for cancellation when youve been around for 20 years, youve made billions for your parent company and you have a contract that keeps you on TV for years yet. She covers misinformation, extremism and the internet. And it has not stopped some politicians from picking up these claims and using them to alarm people by saying that this is where protections for LGBTQ students will lead. Don't pay your auto insurance bill until you read this. Send comments, questions and tips to her atnpate@statesmanjournal.comor 503-399-6745. The trend toward acting like a cat or dog is real, even if the Midland school litter box is the hoax du jour. She said: If some student wants to pretend like a cat and use a litterbox after school, thats their prerogative, whatever. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The only problem is it isnt true. TikToks are going viral of school students claiming to identify as animals . The one thing thats certain, however, is that cats dont deserve to be in the middle of this mess. This is a cat-focused blog, so my interest here is the idea that cats have been dragged into the ongoing American culture wars. February 27, 2023 . "It is ok to pretend to be a cat or dog in your private time, but the world and work force should not be forced to play along," one said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We have excellent schools here. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. First, the obvious, or perhaps not-so-obvious considering the media attention and outrage surrounding both stories: Neither one is true. Stop the world we need to get . In the latest "trend" by high school students, they're dressing up and acting like cats in schools. Dayna, 15, who lives in Canada, said she brings a mask and tail to school every day but only wears them during lunch and keeps them in her bag during class. Roughly three in four are under the age of 25, the group writes. The district where Columbine High School is located has been stocking classrooms with small amounts of cat litter since 2017, but as part of go buckets that contain emergency supplies in case students are locked in a classroom during a shooting. The claim that a Wisconsin school district implemented furry protocols in order to deal with a wave of students identifying as cats is based almost entirely on one alleged email said to have been sent from a third-party (an anonymous student's grandmother) to a podcast host. There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats. Victoria Education; Claims school students are grooming each other, wearing cat tails as part of new 'furries' trend. ' she said in the TikTok video. 2. / students identifying as cats. how to craft sawmill in terraria . Some who have believed the false rumors continue to cite them as an example of school districts going too far with so-called identity politics, drawing a connection between the litter box claims to schools allowing transgender students to use the restroom of their choice. A teenage girl from Melbourne, Australia, identifies as a cat, according to multiple news stories. And during a legislative hearing last month in Tennessee, two Republican state lawmakers discussed the growing crisis of public schools providing litter boxes for children who identify as cats, and claimed its happening across the state. The woman says she was born the wrong species. My psychologist told me I can grow out of it, but I doubt it, she told an interviewer. Accessed 5 Apr. As he stated in his message, the board meeting took place on Dec. 20, 2021, and did not circulate widely until mid-January. Some children, she alleged, would only communicate in barks and hisses. This world is nuts, and this is not a rumor." Rudd reached out to Dansville Superintendent Dr. Paul Alioto. Follow her on Twitter@NataliePateGwin. The conspiracy appears to be linked to concerns around LGBT+ identities being affirmed in the education system. This claim as well as many others are simply false and are causing unnecessary stress to students and staff, Norbert Carpenter, the director of schools, said in the post. At least 20 conservative candidates and elected officials have claimed this year that K-12 schools are placing litter boxes on campus or making other accommodations for students who identify as cats, in fact every school district that has been named by those 20 politicians said in public statements that these claims are untrue. Interestingly, Pesta follows the slide about "furry protocols" with another false rumor about a teacher being fired for protesting against the installation of litterboxes at schools in Michigan for students who identified as cats. Comments have been closed on this article. And it demonstrates how quickly some elements of truth can be twisted and mashed up with fully debunked assertions to create a viral narrative amplified by prominent politicians, as well as commentators with large audiences. Either she was paid to lie by the democrats about this TRUE movement by the democrat back kids movement to get special privledges ) like LBGTQ and BLM followers .. Hi John: Im a guy and I make no money from this site other than through ads, which I only enabled a month ago. During a speech at a rally in Pennsylvania in September last year Greene repeated false assertions that schools in the state were lowering tables and putting out litter boxes for who students who identified as furries or cats. A teenage girl from Melbourne, Australia, identifies as a cat, according to multiple news stories. Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News. A couple of students identify as cats and demanded a litter box. But this post tells a story that simply didn't happen. Nebraska Lawmaker Apologizes for Debunked Litter Box Claim. NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/nebraska-lawmaker-apologizes-debunked-litter-box-claim-rcna21951. TikTok False: The claim is. The rumour was also spread by popular US podcaster Joe Rogan. "They identify with animals. In April, three Republican lawmakers in Minnesota took turns during floor debate discussing rumors theyd heard about children identifying as cats at school, cutting holes in uniforms for tails and possibly using litter boxes. She said when she has worn part of her fur suit to school, I dont act like an animal, or think that I am one.. The woman, who uses the handle @crazynamebridgetmichael, said she was taking attendance when a student responded to his name with feline vocalizations. However, as USA TODAY reported, the district's superintendent shut downthe rumor soon after Maddock shared the video on Jan. 20. The story was picked up by several widely-read sites, included in Tucker Carlsons daily newsletter, and reshared on prominent Twitter accounts in addition to going viral on Facebook. No Left Turn in Education, a Leading Anti-Critical Race Theory Group, Frequently Pushes Toxic Rhetoric in Media. Media Matters for America, https://www.mediamatters.org/education/no-left-turn-education-leading-anti-critical-race-theory-group-frequently-pushes-toxic. It doesnt make sense," she added. But according to Superintendent Mark Martin, a petition isnt needed. [Doctors] dont have evidence that [the treatment] will be the right one, McHugh said in 2019. The spread of rumors about litter boxes has grown alongside other extreme and baseless rhetoric accusing LGBTQ people and educators of grooming children through lessons and policies on gender and sexuality. I dont understand why these kids are acting so un-human and not happy with themselves, she said. But as of right now, I have not been able to verify a single one of the claims. Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. '"The grandmother said a petition to end the practice was created by students and has more than 1,000 signatures. On the October 11 episode of his Joe Rogan Experience Spotify podcast, Rogan claimed that a school "had to install a litter box in the girls room because there is a girl who's a furry, who . Rumors began to surface that these students were permitted to use litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate them, but the districts superintendent debunked such stories. Midland Public Schools via YouTube, Dec. 21, 2021. Do your research. Her campaign declined to answer questions about Ganahls claims, but in one interview with a local Fox affiliate, she suggested theres a lot of this going on in Jefferson County. According to reports, the girl allegedly is phenomenally bright and does not speak during school hours. The Waunakee school district has not seen a wave of students identifying as cats, and they did not enforce any "furry protocols" in order to deal with these alleged students. The rumour alleged that pupils at Banff Academy were identifying as cats. The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools.. "Let's instead focus on real issues impacting Oregon youth.". As the number of people identifying as trans and nonbinary has increased in recent years, particularly among young people, so has the amount of anti-LGBTQ legislation from conservative politicians. Happy birthday to Nano, and hopefully hell have many more! These things just made me feel uncomfortable and so unnecessary as to why theyre barking at me, and its very distracting during school days.". Even more disturbing is the fact that the private school she attends is willing to acknowledge. The origin of the, ahem, furfluffle can be traced back to a Dec. 20 school board meeting. The latest madness is the news of a teenage girl who identifies as a cat the latest example of how self-identification is not necessarily an expression of the healthiest or best thing for someone who needs mental help. Six Republican members of the North Dakota Legislature introduced a bill Wednesday that would send a clear message to nonhuman-identified students . Andy Cross / Denver Post via Getty Images. The school districts say these claims are untrue. "This is a rumor that has been circulating nationally, and more recently in our community, and is simply just that, a rumor, and is not in any way accurate. Surveys and pre-publication research from Furscience also indicate that the vast majority are LGBTQ and as many as a third are transgender. This is what we're doing now in 2022. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools," he wrote. 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 be put in schools on. "This is a young lady who is exceptional (sic) bright, her family petitioned the school board for right to 'identify as a cat," reads part of a Sept. 23 Facebook post featuring the images. Cisgender refers to individuals who identify with the gender assigned to them at birth. Editors' Code of Practice. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. I read that a comedian joked how he asks to be regarded with the possessive pronoun there, because he identifies as a place. These rumors put us at risk of being hurt or bullied.. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. The photos show a young woman wearing costume cat ears. It's also worth noting that while McKenna claimed on Pesta's podcast that she had received multiple emails about these furry protocols, the email she presents is the same email Pesta has been showcasing during his presentations. They should not be allowed to attend school as school is meant for humans. For foreign students. The photos are from 2016 and show a Norweigan adult who is capable of speaking, not a non-verbal, school-aged child. Some say litter boxes are located in transgender bathrooms in schools. At about the 33-minute mark in this YouTube video, local parent Lisa Hansen began discussing what in her opinion is a somewhat nefarious national agenda being pushed on students. Catalina Lauf, a Republican congressional nominee in Illinois, tweeted this month that schoolchildren were using litter boxes in her state. The photos show a Norweigan adult who claimed to be acat in 2016. However, by constantly celebrating their decisions as brave, holding parades, allowing them to compete in sporting events with biological women, naming them women of the year, or even acknowledging gender identity as something more than junk science, society merely reinforces disturbing behaviors. First, there was the news of Bruce Jenner transitioning to become Caitlyn Jenner. The claim that the Waunakee school district had implemented furry protocols appears to have originated with an email sent to Pesta. In a clip from 'What is a Woman?', a documentary by right-wing commentator Matt Walsh, interviewee Sara Stockton, a family therapist based in New York, says schoolchildren are self-identifying as. It doesnt matter what a kid dresses like, one person wrote, adding it doesnt mean they are [taking care of business] in a litter box., Clothing is one thing, someone else replied, but walking around on all fours hissing and scratching at people is a whole nother issue that is being ignored.. "Let me be clear there is no truth whatsoever tothis false statement/accusation! A Midland, Michigan, middle school student told the school board last fall some of her classmates identify as cats and dogs. Be a serious parent or parents. The claim: Photos show non-verbal student whose cat identity is accommodated at public school Some social media users are sharing a photo they claim shows a student who identifies as a cat.. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. (LogOut/ Three school-age furries told NBC News they have at times dressed up at school, typically wearing just part of their full costume such as a mask or gloves that look like paws, but theyd never heard of any furry ever asking for a litter box. Whos doing it? And this little girl in the very front row says, You have to meow back at him; he identifies as a cat. Are you kidding me?, The student stormed out of the classroom when she laughed at him, she said, and the schools administration fired her: They said We no longer need your services if you cant identify with all the children in the classroom.'. The postfrom Peggy Hubbard, who lost a recentIllinois Republican U.S. Senate primary, implies a connection to a U.S. school district, but the pictures don't show an American public school student or anything recent. It started when a video of a central Michigan school board meeting went viral in mid-January after a parent claimed a "nefarious . Did a Michigan School District Install Litter Boxes in Bathrooms? Snopes.Com, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/litter-boxes-bathrooms/. Follow, Investigative Radio host/ On-Scene Facebook Live stream. Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claimthat a Michigan school put litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identify as cats. A girl identifies as a cat, and both her parents and her private school are totes okay with it. Brandy Zadrozny is a senior reporter for NBC News. Since then, however, it has spread to numerous US states and now to Scotland. And um, I am really disturbed by that., Furry is an evolving word once exclusively used as an adjective meaning consisting of fur, according to Merriam-Webster, but now can be used to describe people who have a keen interest in, or even dress up as, anthropomorphic animal characters, like those often seen in comics, games and cartoons.. The post garnered more than 1,000 interactions in less than two weeks. The students are minors so their names are not being released and it is unknown if they identify as male felines or female felines. It started when a video of a central Michigan school board meetingwent viral in mid-January after aparent claimed a"nefarious" agendahad taken hold of public schools in her county. No actual evidence has been presented to support the claim. Oh, you are a human? Im staying calm, but Im not happy about it, and its happened on your watch, and I dont understand it., Heres the video: (It should start at the relevant section, but if it doesnt, Hansen speaks at the 32:44 mark). I heard that at least one of our schools in our town has a, in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats. former QAnon supporter and Republican politician Marjorie Taylor Greene. Michael E. Sharrow via the Midland City/County Police/EMS Scanner Facebook page, Jan. 20. HP10 9TY. Two curious stories relating to cats have been circulating online this week: In the first story, a substitute teacher claims she was fired because she refused to meow back to a student who identifies as a cat, while parents in a Michigan school district were infuriated by a rumor that the district was providing litter boxes to cat-identified students in school bathrooms. Sheryl, if you have the name of the school district, and you can show me proof in the form of a written school policy, and put me in touch with your teacher friend in Georgia who can give me verifiable details, Ill be happy to write another follow-up article. If they feel they are cats, they should stay home, get a liscense and a rabies shot and use their back yard or litter box. Jan. 24, 2023, 2:31 PM PST. I'd even use the word 'furious,'" she says. I dont go out wearing tail, gloves, ears, or fursuit heads on any normal day, she said in an email. "Furries" roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. Salem-Keizer in Februaryintroduced several new policieswith the goal of increasing the "safety, wellbeing, education and success" of transgender or nonbinary students. Ive studied more than 40,000 furries from 70 different countries over a decade, she said. The "furry protocol" rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. You want to communicate by meowing? In Colorado, GOP gubernatorial nominee Heidi Ganahl insisted in several recent interviews that students were dressing and identifying as cats, disrupting class, and the states schools were tolerating it. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF2k85dOs_Y. By Brooke Sopelsa. Michigan superintendent debunks rumor. Like Richard Littejohn at the Daily Mail, I'm not sure how many . Perhaps even more surprising is what nearly a decade of research on the subject can tell us all about how we relate to animals, how we understand ourselves, and how we benefit from letting the inner child run wild every so often.. Libs of TikTok noted as much in a subsequent tweet, but questioned why no one said so at the school board meeting, where some people applauded after Hansen spoke. Pain In The Bud, FurryGate: Rogan, Boebert, Greene Drag Cats Into Politics With Claims Of Litter Boxes In Schools Pain In The Bud. North Kingstown is in the news again as a school is reportedly allowing two students to identify as cats this school year complete with providing a litter box. NBC News agreed to keep their last names private due to their fear of harassment. Many kids learn in different ways - some are more visual while others absorb information better if they read about it, but everyone learns best when they are comfortable and at ease, and for one teen in Australia, that means acting like a cat.. A video of a central Michigan school board meeting went national in mid-January after aparent claimed that a"nefarious" agendahad taken hold of public schools in her county. The students are minors so their names are not being released and it is unknown if they identify as male felines or female felines. Website development by. Yet it seems the rumor has reached Oregon, with recent gossip asserting Salem-Keizer Public Schools officials approved a student's request to self-identify as a cat and allowed litter boxes in the restrooms of Sprague High School. No, Furries Dont Get Litter Boxes in School Bathrooms. Poynter, 8 Mar. Im just embarrassed by what this has gotten to," she said. An appeals court also recently upheld one Florida high schools policy of forbidding transgender students from using the bathroom of their acquired gender.