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. HP10 9TY. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. A school in Australia has allowed one of its students to be non-verbal in class and behave like a cat, as per her wishes. If we do encounter a verifiable story about a school district doing that, Ill absolutely write about it. Cisgender refers to individuals who identify with the gender assigned to them at birth. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Any cats involved? 2022, https://isthmus.com/api/content/5442e938-b445-11ec-8e34-12274efc5439/. Even more disturbing is the fact that the private school she attends is willing to acknowledge her feline self-identification and permits her to act like a cat in school so long as her behavior doesnt disrupt the class, according to the Herald Sun. These situations have been addressed consistently by administration and the dress code policy will continue to be implemented with fidelity. 5 min read. She said: If some student wants to pretend like a cat and use a litterbox after school, thats their prerogative, whatever. Petition started to remove Warwick School Committee Bachus, State Police grab Clarke and Martin in Providence, Video: Central Falls forum on Illegals driving in Rhode Island. Sorry, no feline accomadations in the school. 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. In the latest "trend" by high school students, they're dressing up and acting like cats in schools. arguments have been used throughout history, such as comparing interracial and homosexual relationships to bestiality and pedophilia. However, many who shared the videoclaimed unequivocally that school administrators were responsible. 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. Send comments, questions and tips to her atnpate@statesmanjournal.comor 503-399-6745. She did not elaborate on what happened afterward but . It was"unconscionable" that he was addressing the rumor, Sharrow said,but he felt it necessary to do so because of its renewed spread on social media. 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. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WLWT-TV. "Apparently, from what I understand, theyre called 'furries,'" the grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY. 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. As well as corroboration from a superintendent, principal or teacher who can say this is happening in their district. Clearly, identifying as a cat is absurd and indicative of a serious personal problem. Having said that, I can picture Family Guy creating much fanfare with this fictional student-cat-identity and substitute-teacher-noncompliance story. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. / students identifying as cats. In the days before McKenna appeared on Peta's podcast, Pesta gave a few presentations that mentioned this alleged email. In December 2021, conservative activist Lisa Hansen claimed at a school board meeting in Midland, Michigan, that an unnamed school in the district had placed a litter box for the kids that identify as cats in a unisex bathroom as part of the agenda thats being pushed. Hansen, who later started a local chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative activist group, did not respond to requests for comment. We parents arent sure what our schools are up to, she wrote in an email, according to the Times. Im just embarrassed by what this has gotten to," she said. Furthermore, there's no evidence that any schools in Michigan installed litterboxes for their students. Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat, Communication Regarding False Accusation Made at December MPS Board of Education Meeting, Litter Boxes for Students Who Identify as Furries? Skibbereen Community College bosses said they contacted authorities over crazy claims. Roberts also noted that the vast majority of furries characters are wild or mythical animals, who wouldnt use a litter box in the first place. Seriously, Parents are allowing their kids to think they are cats! 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. You need evidence for that, and this is a very serious treatment.. You want to communicate by meowing? I'd even use the word 'furious,'" she says. "Apparently, from what I understand, theyre called 'furries,'" the grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY. U/D Providence: **Shots Fired** 41 & 43 Ridgeway Ave. shots fired into two homes. Follow her on Twitter@NataliePateGwin. Rand Paul was vindicated this week regarding COVID. 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. subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. 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. Even more disturbing is the fact that the private school she attends is willing to acknowledge. The Waunakee Community School District does not have protocols for furries, nor do we have an issue with disruptions in our school and classrooms.. "Unbelievable.". "She is non verbal and she crawls around making cat like noises and the school is perfectly fine with this behavior? "Let's instead focus on real issues impacting Oregon youth.". Furries are part of an established subculture that has existed for decades. TikToks are going viral of school students claiming to identify as animals . 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. In Kentucky earlier this school year, officials were perplexed by a group of middle school students who dressed and acted like cats, apparently after accepting a social media challenge, according to a report by news station WLWT. Shetold The New York Times on Jan. 23 that she was a "concerned mom" whodidn't feel she knew enough about what was going on at her child's school. morning journal obituaries past 3 days; when will allegiant release december 2022 flights Comments have been closed on this article. There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats. I dont accept sponsored posts and I have a no-politics policy, even for politics-adjacent subjects like this. Now all the nutters can say see, this never happened, here's the emergency declaration from the [superintendent] saying so. . "Restroom facilities are available at all district facilities in compliance with state law," she added. child/dog. 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. Lets get that debate started! Last January, the superintendent of Midland Public Schools in Michigan was forced to address community members on Facebook after the rumour took hold locally. Please report any comments that break our rules. "The students are told they cant wear hats or Budweiser shirts in school, but they can wear cat ears, cat tails, masks, leashes. Vicki McKenna Promotes False Claim about Furries in Waunakee School District. Isthmus | Madison, Wisconsin, 4 Apr. Maddock did not respond to requests for comment. Tyler Kingkade is a national reporter for NBC News, based in Los Angeles. Everyone should be sympathetic to her plight, but people should not be enabling her delusions. The superintendent at the school in Kentucky told WLWT the students violated the dress code, and that the administration had addressed the situation. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. contact the editor here. 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.. Additionally, this summer, a group of parents and community members unsuccessfully pushedfor the removal of "Gender Queer: A Memoir," a graphic novel by Maia Kobabe that discusses topics such as asexuality and being nonbinary, from Salem-Keizer high school libraries. Im sure you can appreciate the difference between internet bullshittery and a legitimate, verified instance of a school district making allowances for furries or putting litter boxes in school bathrooms. First, the obvious, or perhaps not-so-obvious considering the media attention and outrage surrounding both stories: Neither one is true. READ MORE:Isla Bryson: Why are trans criminals put in Scottish women's prisons? Michael E. Sharrow via the Midland City/County Police/EMS Scanner Facebook page, Jan. 20. The rumor of litter boxes in schools appears to have begun among parents on social media, and one of the first schools to confront the falsehood was in Canada last fall. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. A substitute teacher uploaded a video to TikTok claiming she was asked to "meow" at a student who identified as a cat. READ MORE:Anti-monarchy activists 'turn Buckingham Palace into polling station', But no, the school, the school resources and the other students and teachers should not have to be put through that because its a lie and we have to reject them.. The story about the fired substitute also had its roots in an online video, with a woman who says shes a teacher relating the story via TikTok. Similar "if we allow this, what's next?" 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. Michigan Republican Party, archived Jan. 24. The conversation will go back to what it should be about people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. 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. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. They should not be allowed to attend school as school is meant for humans. This material may not be reproduced without permission. This was the case fora Jan. 21 Facebook post that wasviewed over 8,600 timesand a tweet shared over 5,000 times. John DePetro Show 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. The "furry protocol" rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. "Sprague High School, or any Salem-Keizer school,do nothave litter boxes for use as restroom facilities," Emily Hicks, a spokeswoman for the district, said. North Kingstown Councilwoman Mary Brimer sounded the alarm after hearing stories from parents of the school installing litter boxes at a school in a special section hidden from view. He said the costumes violate the school dress code: "A small number of Meade County High School students have violated the dress code policy during the early part of the school year. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. USA TODAY reached out to Maddock and others who shared theclaim on social media for comment. 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. The inmates cannot continue to run the asylum. email: John@depetro.com. 2022. Human civilization has to put a halt to these destructive behaviors. One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. 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. The superintendent tells WLKY the. Happy birthday to Nano, and hopefully hell have many more! "Furries" roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. 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.. Pain In The Bud, FurryGate: Rogan, Boebert, Greene Drag Cats Into Politics With Claims Of Litter Boxes In Schools Pain In The Bud. TikTok False: The claim is. Thats hearsay. The spread of false rumors about students identifying as cats and using litter boxes has been laughed off by many but is a point of concern for others. To a person not steeped in the culture war battles over gender identity that have engulfed school districts nationwide, its the kind of claim that would sound bizarre and confusing and, from high-profile GOP members, authoritative. The rise of the litter box rumor shows the power of false claims that start on social media to shape political discourse. Sir David Cattenboroughs Newest Documentary Reveals The Elusive Silver-FurredBuddy, Check Out This Beautiful Gallery Of Larry The Cat, PLUS: A New Game Features A FuriousFeline, Cat With Gang Tattoos Rescued From Mexican Prison, Up ForAdoption, Buddy Scores 47 In Knicks Route OfCeltics. '"The grandmother said a petition to end the practice was created by students and has more than 1,000 signatures. The Michigan incident started when a mom of kids at the Midland School District, about 130 miles northwest of Detroit, spoke at a school board meeting about a rumor which she took as fact alleging the school was accommodating furries by providing litter boxes in unisex bathrooms. The unnamed teenage girl, who is in Year 8, is reportedly allowed to. I dont understand why these kids are acting so un-human and not happy with themselves, she said. Do they perform a naked fat test on an animal? This event was sponsored by No Left Turn In Education, a group Media Matters describes as an anti-critical race theory group, and presented by the FreedomProject Academy, an online academy founded by the right-wing political advocacy group the John Birch Society. Sen. Bruce Bostleman would later apologize for falsely claiming that students were meowing, identifying as cats, and going to the bathroom in litter boxes. February 08, 2022. Thank you for supporting our journalism. It doesnt make sense," she added. "The students are told they cant wear hats or Budweiser shirts in school, but they can wear cat ears, cat tails, masks, leashes. School administrators were responsible: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account these situations have addressed! Ad-Free app or electronic newspaper replica here Oregon youth. `` @ statesmanjournal.comor 503-399-6745 student wants to like! 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