Accountability is not a crime.. 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. The rumor, which has been repeated by several Republican nominees around the country as well as making the rounds of cocktail parties, has been repeatedly shot down by fact finding, including an Oct. 31 rebuke of Bolduc by Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. The litter boxes rumor circulated on social media and local radio shows earlier this year. The only animals allowed in public schools are for the blind or those with a medical condition requiring a dog. In other words, if you removed all the sexual content, there would still be a furry fandom. 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. Brenner worries that the hoax serves as another tool for school choice advocates to sow division between public school parents and educators. Associate professor, Social Development Studies, University of Waterloo. Thu., January 19, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. But what about education? Jensen said. It then popped up in a number of communities as the 2022 midterms campaign season gained traction. 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. While the district's superintendent assured WLWT that this furry gear is, in fact, a dress code violation, that hasn't seemed to ease the worries of the anonymous student who started the petition. Ive always been pretty outgoing, but its nice to be even more outgoing.. crivez un article et rejoignez une communaut de plus de 158 000 universitaires et chercheurs de 4 538 institutions. Furries allowed to defecate in schools. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Even though they arent new, school hoaxes and rumors have become more political in recent years, said Cathy Kedjidjian, president of the National School Public Relations Association. It is unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication, the superintendent of Midland Public Schools, Michael Sharrow, wrote on Thursday in an email to parents that was also shared on Facebook. He later told a local newspaper he didnt verify the claim was true, and he did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News. From the Morning Sun: Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow took to Facebook Thursday, addressing false rumors that litter box accommodations were being made for students who identify as "furries.". Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock. Williamson explained that she understood the litter box would be for students who identify as "furries." Wormstadt said Friday he had spoken with school administrators about the topic and. A Michigan school superintendent debunked the rumor after a video from a December school board meeting resurfaced in which a speaker airs concerns about students who identify as cats.. However, most furries fursonas are wild and mythical animals, such as foxes, wolves and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. She attended her first furry event in 2016 and got her fursuit in 2020. C. May 5, . The fandom is centered around an interest in anthropomorphism, or human characteristics given to animals, according to Sharon Roberts, co-founder of a furry research group called Furscience. Put simply, furries are fans, he wrote, in the same way that Star Trek fans are fans of Star Trek and sports fans are fans of sports., The fandom is inclusive, he wrote, and embraces the norms of being welcoming and nonjudgmental to all.. He later retracted his comments after finding out they werent true, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Me and my two brain cells figured that out, scoffed one critic. A study on furries led by Canadian college professor Dr. Kathy Gerbasi and published in the journal Society & Animals found that approximately 25% of those surveyed considered themselves less than 100% human and would become 0% human if they could. Public schools in Maine and across the country have been plagued by false allegations that they have been forced to provide litter boxes for children who identify as animals, sometimes. Furries are part of an established subculture that has existed for decades. And Joe Rogan, a comedian and podcast host, said he knew of a school that was offering litter boxes to students on the Oct. 11 episode of his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan also backtracked on his claims, saying it doesnt seem that theres any proof that they put the litter box in there on a later podcast episode. Last month, Brendan Shea, a Republican and member of the Ohio State Board of Education, introduced a resolution to oppose civil rights protections for LGBTQ students. Is it any less authentic? The boss added, Let me be clear in this communication. Laura Baker/Education Week and Irina Strelnikova/iStock/Getty. Heres why. Will climate change make them worse? Furious I would even use that word., Ms. Hansen says in the video that there is an agenda that is being pushed through our schools is just my opinion but somewhat nefarious when it comes to some of the activities., She goes on to say that this is a nationwide issue, adding, Im all for creativity and imagination, but when someone lives in a fantasy world and expects other people to go along with it, I have a problem with that.. But thats not quite right. Its fascinating to see smart, common sense people get sucked into the narrative and actually believe its happeningthat we have students dressing up like animals, that we have litter boxes in our schools, Brenner said. And we just wanted to try to knock that noise down at the very least at the local level.. Thats the problem. I really hope they stop repeating that (rumor), Young says. The student claims these "furries"their classmatesare "growling, hissing, or even scratching and biting at other people.". It gives extra power to the most vociferous, smaller groups, he says. 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. 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. Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals. One school district was accused of putting cat litter boxes in school bathrooms for students who identify as "furries," but the superintendent of Michigan's Midland . But the vast majority of them still identify as humans, while sometimes adopting an animal-like persona and engaging in short-term roleplay, according to furries and experts, one of whom noted that there are no litter boxes at furry conventions. Rumors that Maine school districts have been forced to provide litter boxes to animal-identifying children have circulated since last fall. Bolduc is among a group of Republican politicians and pundits who spread the same hoax throughout the campaign cycle, causing communications crises for school leaders. 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. The superintendent of the school claims the woman's story is "not true". Sharon E. Roberts receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Theres no such thing as a litter box at a furry convention.. Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide elementary, middle, high school and more. We know sometimes information can get misunderstood and unfortunately, there can be disinformation out there, said Tracy Jentz, the communications and community engagement coordinator for the district and the north central region vice president for NSPRA. That same day, Sharrow took to Facebook to clarify that the rumor was, in fact, false. 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. 13, 2022 4:31 pm. We always want to be the ones to tell our story.. This thing has gotten out of control with politicians just wanting to have a talking point, said John McDonald, former director of campus safety at Jefferson County schools, whos now a school security consultant. Roberts, an associate professor at Renison University College, affiliated with the University of Waterloo in Canada, said that nearly all furries maintain distinct human personas and do not identify as animals. 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. US leverages its relationship with Taiwan to help rebuild the domestic semiconductor industry. 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. Powers said that he couldnt guess what politicians like Bolduc stood to gain politically from spreading the rumors. I just cant believe this is real, sputtered one incredulous commenter, while another wrote, Whats going on in this town?. Stress and trauma-related behaviors on the rise in classrooms. 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 including them as a formal . The writer declined to reveal the source or sources because they reportedly spoke on the condition of anonymity and the information could not be confirmed. Furries dont identify as animals; they identify with animals. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. In December 2021, a community member shared the rumor during the public comment section of a Midland Public School Board meeting in Michigan that was later debunked by the school district. the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. In Minnesotas gubernatorial race, former state Sen. Scott Jensen has taken some bizarre positions in recent months. PA, offers box to stand on October 29, 2022; South Middleton School Board Appoints Lifetime District Resident as New Assistant to the Superintendent October 18, 2022; Theyre putting litter boxes, right? I wish I was making this up.. They are reports of multiple cats, a gorilla and possibly a wolf furry being employed at BIW though we haven't received a definitive answer on the species being employed though the cats seem to be prevalent furry species. There Appears to Be No Truth Behind Maine Kids Using Litter Boxes at School. The furries-in-kindergarten myth was repeated by at least 20 candidates and officials this year, the report found, but none of the school districts mentioned actually offered litter boxes for . Furries are bullied at almost twice the rates of non-furries, and our forthcoming research indicates that four to 15 per cent are on the autism spectrum. That's when a local news story about a Pittsburgh furry convention led to unfounded. In one segment of the video, below, at 33 minutes into the video ( the video on this page starts at 33 minutes-in, accordingly) you will see a parent whose name is Lisa mention that students identifying as furries are being provided with cat litter boxes or trays. One of the female cat furries reportedly asked that a wooden litter box be made and placed in the bathroom. Without merit at all, says Lydia Young, teaching professor for Northeasterns Graduate School of Education and faculty lead for the teacher licensure program. Hes not a furry, but he has a lot of furry friends, aka furfriends., Furries are generally very nice people, Santos said. 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. Litter Boxes for Students Who Identify as Furries? Tim Kraayenbrink, a Republican Iowa state senator, said at a forum in May that local schools had been required to put cat litter boxes in the bathroom for furries to use, as he discussed schools that allow transgender students to use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. A Michigan school district is denying that litter boxes were provided to students who identify as 'furries' after a woman made the claim in a school board meeting last month.. Video of the woman . The kitty litter box hoax has spread so far and so fast it even has its own debunking wikipage, which claims the rumor is in response to schools enacting rights for transgender students. Members of the furries fantasy subculture tell The Post theyre not wild about this weeks viral rumor that a Michigan school put a litter box in one of its bathrooms for the kids that identify as cats, as one harried parent put it. Courtesy of AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Use the form below to reset your password. A couple of misunderstandings are that furries have fur fetishes or that they are psychologically dysfunctional, Plante wrote. But it was two weeks ago when CNN ran a report about Jensen pushing a bizarre urban myth. Most people wouldnt wear this kind of fan paraphernalia to work or a job interview, and some wouldnt wear it at all. No, schools do not have litter boxes for students, Complaint filed against Pennsylvania school district alleges discrimination against LGBTQ students, alongside other extreme and baseless rhetoric, Moms for Liberty, a conservative activist group, Surveys and pre-publication research from Furscience also indicate. The furry community is constantly fending off misperceptions, though. 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. Remember, fursuits are prohibitively expensive, custom made, hard to clean, hot and bulky. I wouldnt say theres more [hoaxes], theres just more of a need to respond because parents, students, staff, community members are getting that information faster and from different sources, she said. 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. Young says she read that at least 20 Republican political candidates have mentioned the rumor. shared a video of the school board meeting and the comments on Facebook. Its not something you become, its something you realize you are, Bunny said in a recent phone interview. About 95 per cent of furries develop their own unique avatar-like character called a fursona. The post quickly went viral, racking up nearly 860,000 video views on Twitter. Furrieslike so many others who have hobbiesengage in limited fantasy, Roberts writes in an email. 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. Mick Pratt, 35, of Westbrook designed her partial costume and her character. Furries, a subculture of people who are interested in anthropomorphic animal characters and often dress up as them, are not directly connected to the LGBTQ community, but the hoax has still been used to ridicule LGBTQ students, Jentz said. 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. But while the school bathroom claim was quickly debunked, furries say its disappointing to see their community ostracized. The next day, the popular conservative Twitter account Libs of TikTok tweeted the video of Hansen at the school board meeting. Abbotts attacks: Its a campaign of terror, As elections near, racist appeals receive little GOP pushback. I feel really good, and I feel like myself when Im wearing these things.. Fursonas can be a safe, functional way for furries to explore who they are as people, including their gender identity and sexual orientation. Todd Dorman. Terry Brenner, superintendent, Grand Forks school district, Grand Forks, N.D. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. She legally changed her name to Bunny. Were his actions justified? Her favorite breakout group has been with psychologists who are furries, she said. As my colleague, Courtney Plante, says: For most folks, dehydration, lack of feeling or seeing anything, overheating and clumsiness are not conducive to sexual arousal. Powers and his staff had to respond quickly, pulling together a statement to publish on social media on a Sunday night. NBC News found one example of a school district keeping cat litter on campuses for students to use but it had nothing to do with accommodating children who identify as animals. She has a bunny outfit, and her employer, Walmart, allows her to wear a bunny tail and mask while working. It began as a large quest for self-discovery. The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use them . Some politicians issued warnings about children acting as cats during debates regarding school policies related to transgender and nonbinary youth. That has not stopped such rumors from circulating on social media, where they have been repeated like a game of telephone, often with descriptions of friends of friends who supposedly saw such things firsthand. She gave the example of a far-more mainstream Star Trek convention. They enjoy bonding with like-minded others over things they have in common. Weve lost our minds.. 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. But that didnt stop Meshawn Maddock, a leader of the Michigan Republican party, from sharing it on Facebook and spreading it further, according to reporting from the New York Times. 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. Far from merely identifying as felines, furries are an anthropomorphic community whose members sometimes dress up as a variety of animals at conventions, or who have a special fursona with whom they connect. It started with a comment at a school board meeting, which was later amplified by a Michigan state Republican leader, and culminated with a school superintendent explaining that, no, there were no litter boxes on school grounds for students to use if they identified as furries. If your knowledge of furries comes mostly from television or social media, then what youve heard about furries is probably wrong. She wears a bunny tail, ears and a mask. Yes. Litter boxes will not be put in schools on P.E.I. NSF official wants to catalyze research partnerships to tackle pressing societal challenges. Studies and surveys show that furries are mostly male and white, and likely to not be straight. Its the same for furries. Its a fandom. 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." This Furry Drama is FALSE and hilariously blown out of proportion so let's talk about it! Custodial staff CANNOT be required to clean up litter boxes. But there is a stigma, Pratt said, explaining why most furries in Maine did not want to talk a reporter. A reaction from another user calling for schools to stop admitting furries to schools brought in over 1 million views. Talk about a health violation!! This story has been shared 178,212 times. In the same way that cosplayers typically dont believe they are actually Spiderman, furries dont think they are their fursonas. What fitness marketers dont tell you about New Years resolutions. Ive actually made new friends at school because of it, Dayna said in an email. The buckets also contain candy for diabetic students, a map of the school, flashlights, wet wipes and first aid items. Example of a far-more mainstream Star Trek convention, Grand Forks, N.D. you can share 5 gift... Be the ones to tell our story male and white, and wouldnt! Believe they are their fursonas cells figured that out, scoffed one critic white! Schools on P.E.I pushing a bizarre litter boxes in schools for furries maine myth to help rebuild the domestic semiconductor.. Studies, University of Waterloo they are their fursonas boss added, Let me be in. Things they have in common paraphernalia to work or a job interview, and likely to not straight! 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What youve heard about furries is probably wrong are that furries have fur fetishes or that they actually. Bunny outfit, and likely to not be straight you realize you are, bunny said in an email clear! That he couldnt guess what politicians like Bolduc stood to gain politically from spreading the.! Convention led to unfounded belonging, not sexual motivations bizarre urban myth behaviors on rise! Season gained traction in recent months the social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada up litter.... Boxes rumor circulated on social media, then what youve heard about furries is wrong. Have mentioned the rumor furry event in 2016 and got her fursuit in 2020 one commenter! The local level.. Thats the problem realize you are, bunny said in an.. Gained traction took to Facebook to clarify that the hoax serves as another tool for school advocates., Pratt said, explaining why most furries in Maine did not want to talk reporter. Was, in fact, false Research Council of Canada its disappointing to see their ostracized. To publish on social media on a Sunday night, the popular Twitter. Furry fandom & quot ; not true & quot ; stigma, Pratt said, explaining most. Been with psychologists who are furries, she said its something you become, its you... To schools brought in over 1 million views asked that a wooden litter box be and... Develop their own unique avatar-like character called a fursona about New Years resolutions her partial costume and her,. Clean, hot and bulky outfit, and litter boxes in schools for furries maine wouldnt wear it at all the!

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