The focus seems to be on schools and district where there have been efforts to have conversations, curriculum inclusion and communities for students who identify as LGBTQ+ and as transgender, Young says. the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. And get this, get this, Bolduc says in a recording obtained by CNN. Get the latest education news delivered to your inbox daily. They may not realize theyre actually doing a favor in the long run, Strike said of those behind the rumor. Furries are a fandom, like anime, Star Trek or football. Lisa Hansen speaks to the Midland Public Schools Board of Education at its Dec. 20, 2021, meeting. Some fursuits are phenomenally engineered with fans, cooling packs and LED lights built into them. Those laws have been damaging to marginalized communities, especially LGBTQ students, who in turn were unfairly linked to the rumor about litter boxes. The increasing political nature of the rumors prompted the Grand Forks school district in North Dakota to establish a Rumor Has It page on its website, which debunks false information about the district providing litter boxes for students and teaching critical race theory. . Have you met sports fans who wear their teams jersey at a special event, such as a game, or a music fan who wears their favourite bands branded T-shirt? She says being a furry is "a fun . The kitty litter story was quickly found to be total nonsense but may have had more staying viral power in reaching many people whod never before heard of the alternative lifestyle some of whom may find they relate to it, said Strike, who dresses up as a suave Komodo dragon named Komos. Ive always been pretty outgoing, but its nice to be even more outgoing.. Login. Some believe they dress that way all the time. In an episode of Spotifys The Joe Rogan Experience podcast this week, host Joe Rogan told former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard that a litter box was installed in a school that his friends wife worked at for a girl who identifies as an animal. A clip of the discussion quickly began to circulate on social media. How can both countries benefit from the deal? A member of the public who spoke at the meeting, Lisa Hansen, says in the video that she was informed by someone the day before the meeting that litter boxes had been added to the unisex bathrooms for students who identify as cats., I was stunned, Ms. Hansen says in the video. FURRIES REACT to the Furry Litter Boxes in School Drama! One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. The American high school experience in 2021 is plagued by uncertainty in the face of an ongoing pandemic, aggro anti-mask dads, Tiktok drama, the usual academic hurdles, and furries. For instance, in 2017, Scott Chamberlain, a councilman from New Milford, Conn., wasforced to resign when it came to light that he was a furry. Bunny belongs to a community known as furries. Courtesy of AASA, The School Superintendents Association. The week before, on Sept. 29, Minnesota GOP gubernatorial nominee Scott Jensen asked during a campaign stop, Why do we have litter boxes in some of the school districts so kids can pee in them, because they identify as a furry?. Should you get rid of your gas stove? We've received your submission. 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, according to an NBC News review of public statements. Litter boxes will not be put in schools on P.E.I. Droits d'auteur 20102023, The Conversation France (assoc. In his statement, Mr. Sharrow debunked the rumor as categorically false. But not everyone ridicules furries, Pratt said. 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, according to an NBC News review of public statements. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Some politicians issued warnings about children acting as cats during debates regarding school policies related to transgender and nonbinary youth. Olivia, 16, from California, said shes been part of the furry community for six years. Family of transgender child in Texas speak out on Gov. Surveys and pre-publication research from Furscience also indicate that the vast majority are LGBTQ and as many as a third are transgender. Shes called Pixil, a combination of pixie and pixel. How an urban myth about litter boxes in schools became a GOP talking point At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify. If you go to France and you ask, What are the kids studying? the ministry of education can tell you, Today were going to be studying this geometry and this history, Galguera says. Enter your email and password to access comments. Did you hear the rumor about kitty litter boxes for furries in public schools? While sex can certainly be a part of the furry fandom, the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock. Theres a community aspect and a character aspect.. But there is a stigma, Pratt said, explaining why most furries in Maine did not want to talk a reporter. She attended her first furry event in 2016 and got her fursuit in 2020. That is the case for Bunny Hawkins, who says that without her costume, shes not completely expressing herself. In an episode of Spotify's "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast this week, host Joe Rogan told former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard that a litter box was installed in a school that his friend's wife. Sharon E. Roberts, an associate professor of social development studies at the University of Waterloo in Canada and a founder of Furscience, said in an email on Saturday that she could not comment specifically about the Michigan school because she was not familiar with the situation. Now were going to talk about litter boxes and bathrooms and kids, thats what were talking about now? Pinkerton Academy Headmaster Tim Powers said. Bunny Hawkins of Skowhegan really likes bunnies, so she decided to become one. People make fun of you for no reason. Administrators have had to debunk everything from rumors of menacing clowns terrorizing students in 2016 to more recent claims that schools are indoctrinating students through critical race theory, the academic concept that teaches race is a social construct embedded into legal systems and policies. The rumor that furries people who have an interest in anthropomorphic animal characters and sometimes dress up as them used litter boxes in the school district, which is about two hours. Custodial staff CANNOT be required to clean up litter boxes. Delusional, transphobic antics had quite the moment this past weekend, with a cohort of Michigan parents bravely speaking out against a problem that definitely exists: litter boxes for furries in a local school's bathrooms. As AI writing tools rapidly evolve, learn how to set standards and expectations for your students on their use. 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. By 1987, there was sufficient interest by people desiring to dress up like their favorite animals to stage the first furry convention. 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. This story has been shared 104,401 times. Research also indicates that a fursona can help facilitate interactions with others and result in more social confidence. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel. In Minnesotas gubernatorial race, former state Sen. Scott Jensen has taken some bizarre positions in recent months. Every school district that has been named by those 20 politicians said either to NBC News or in public statements that these claims are untrue. Another gawker wondered how the litter box system would even work, writing: Logistically no public school has the budget to afford kitty litter for a small percentage of their community to use also ask yourself the last janitor youve met would they scoop human feces out of a litter box?. 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. Primary school teacher who punched and kicked horse Carole Baskins dead husband found alive but no one noticed last year, I went to McDonalds drive-thru for lunch but left with bags of cash instead, Ex-'SNL' star talks MLK Jr. 'penis' statue in 'Daily Show' debut: 'Can't unsee it', Sutton Stracke: I want to fight bossy ex-RHOBH co-star Lisa Rinna, Jim Edmonds says ex Meghan Kings lies about him are fking annoying, Conor Kennedy gifts pal Andrew Warren rare Dior purse at Miami bash, Kitten born with same 'Zorro' mask as her father, Shakira allegedly discovered Gerard Piqu's cheating because of a jam jar. The buckets also contain candy for diabetic students, a map of the school, flashlights, wet wipes and first aid items. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow took to Facebook on Thursday to deny the claims, insisting no litter box accommodations had been made for any students who identify as a "furry." 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. 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 for students who identify as anthropomorphic cats, or furries, according to CNN. (He later acknowledged his mistake. Maines first convention, known as Pine Fur Con, was held in 2018 in South Portland. But it was two weeks ago when CNN ran a report about Jensen pushing a bizarre urban myth. Stress and trauma-related behaviors on the rise in classrooms. While its commonly believed that sexuality plays a large role in the socializing of furry friends, Strike insisted that only a small number of his comrades engage in sexual acts while dressed in their outfits. The school board members at the meeting did not respond to Ms. Hansens comments, but her remarks gained traction after Meshawn Maddock, a chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, shared a video of the school board meeting and the comments on Facebook on Thursday. In fact, the fandom has been studied and analyzed by the International Anthropomorphic Research Project. Were his actions justified? IE 11 is not supported. Pursuit of the fursuit: The joys of being furry and making furfriends, Manage your Advertiser Democrat Subscription, Manage your Livermore Falls Advertiser Subscription, Manage your Franklin Journal Subscription, Manage your Rumford Falls Times Subscription, Manage Your Rangeley Highlander Subscription, Sun Media Groups Western Maine Weekly Subscriptions, Mark LaFlamme: Dead batteries and bruised tailbones, In a word: The long and short of well-known names, Harrison, West Paris kids are all in on winter, George Fox returns to Ukraine for third time, Its a new year, start fresh: reuse, recycle, reduce, Part 1, Katherines Bakery & Cafe expands, all the way up the street. Strike said that most furries he encountered grew up with interests in anthropomorphic cartoon characters and now find comfort around others with the same interest. But, quite frankly, its offensive. Many of the litter box rumours also fixate on cats. She wears a bunny tail, ears and a mask. The "litter boxes in schools" hoax (also called the litter box canard) is a false rumor alleging that certain North American schools provide litter boxes in bathrooms for students who "identify as cats", or who participate in the furry or otherkin subcultures. Beyond Republican politicians and officials, plenty of social media users have latched onto the rumor, most notably on Facebook and TikTok. I think its an agenda that has been started by a small minority group and a political wing, said Brenner, who emphasized he was speaking about his own personal opinion and not on behalf of the district. Many parents and teachers have confided in me privately about the madness thats happening pertaining to this trend, Lauf told NBC News in an email. I feel really good, and I feel like myself when Im wearing these things.. At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats. Don Bolduc, Republican candidate for New Hampshire senator, is one of the latest conservative politicians to repeat the hearsay that . A Facebook post says schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. An unfounded anecdote about kitty litter boxes for role-playing students in public schools is the rumor that just won't quit, and especially in certain political circles. It comes out of this worry on the part of the American public that their children are going to be educated in ways that are not approved by them, Galguera says. NBC News agreed to keep their last names private due to their fear of harassment. Whats most provocative about this hoax is how it turns on two key wedge issues for conservatives: educational accommodations and gender nonconformity, said Joan Donovan, research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University and co-author of Meme Wars: The Untold Story of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America.. Its no coincidence that Bunny, the only other furry who agreed to be interviewed for this story, is also transgender, Pratt said. Completely expressing herself were going to be even more outgoing.. Login like! Even more outgoing.. Login indicates that a fursona can help facilitate interactions with others and in... With fans, cooling packs and LED lights built into them, get this, get,... In Public schools Board of education at its Dec. 20, 2021, meeting in a recording obtained by.. Their favorite animals to stage the first furry convention no truth whatsoever to this statement/accusation. 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