May 31DICKINSON In schools across the United States, a growing trend of students identifying themselves with the "fursona" of cats, dogs, ponies and more. I know what my folks would have done if I had notions like that. Have yall heard about this? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ***The Iowa Standard is an independent media voice. This week, on the same day Iowa Capital Dispatch published the Carroll litter box story, lawmakers were debating bills to ban transgender girls participation on womens sports teams and throw educators in jail for making obscene literature available to students. An untrue rumor that litter boxes are being placed in schools for students who dress up in furry costumes and identify as cats has made its way to two North Carolina school districts despite . This is definitely going on in schools. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. At the school sit-down, concerned parent Lisa Hansen said she was really disturbed after reportedly learning from a student that at least one of our schools in our town, in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The superintendent tells WLKY the situation is being addressed, but according to a concerned grandparent, it's an ongoing problem that has many students on edge . Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. They're not super realistic outfits, so they mostly look like the kind of suit a mascot would wear. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson. In the video, she mentions a group called "furries" which according to Merriam Webster refers to. Parent heroes will TAKE BACK our schools," Maddock wrote. Sure enough, the Messenger was on the scene at Eggs and Issues to report on the senators thoughts. Some people laughed at how absurd it is that school kids are supposedly . One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. Only rumor. 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. A SCHOOL in Michigan has bizarrely been accused by outraged parents of installing litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identify as cats and dogs. 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. Whats next? 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. Abbott's school voucher pitch. The flurries of furries has reached North Dakota, with some school districts in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo issuing statements to debunk the kitty litter rumors, as detailed in a Forum article . Go to the bathroom in a toilet and flush. Schools are not putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate children, as months of unfounded rumors have claimed. I wish I were making this up. Lawmakers are debating all kinds of extreme legislation, like Sen. Jake Chapmans school porn bill that threatens teachers with prison. Restaurant inspection update: Sewage, rodent carcasses, mold, Restaurant update: Bad sushi, unlicensed eateries and, Restaurant inspection update: Moldy school cafeteria cheese,. What is happening to civilization? The Meade School District will not be putting litter boxes in district schools, the superintendent said. Carroll CSD Superintendent Casey Berlau sent an email to the entire district on February 7th. My son's school (large suburban Chicago) has "furries". And I guess I've never seen anybody dressed up.". Eastern Iowa Woman Cashes in $250,000 Lottery Prize, Former Hawkeye Standout Keegan Murray Has A Shot At NBA Record, Extremely Common Animal Found In Iowa Is Illegal To Own As A Pet. Kids being dumb: 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. 0. Meanwhile on TikTok, one video claiming "kids are now requesting litter boxes at school" collected 3 million views on the platform. Supposedly, a female student was identifying as a cat. Youre missing the point. Answering the Left: But do you know any gay people? The rumor has been spreading persistently, but was unfounded each time: An Iowa superintendentsent a letterto parents to dispel the myth. Some furries even only answer questions with animal sounds. Well, for starters, none of this is true!! As for the rest of us, expect headaches, confusion and exhaustion. De-clawing and neutering, ha! They just want to live their lives and go to school, without fear of abuse. Not in the Fort Dodge district, but in my Senate district, theyre requiring these schools to put kitty litter boxes in the bathroom, Kraayenbrink said, according to the Messengers Kelby Wingert. Some furries even wear animal costumes or tails in public. That same day, Sharrow took to Facebook to clarify that the rumor was, in fact, false. [] reports have popped up elsewhere. Linn-Mars entirely reasonable decision has become the latest target of the recklessly unreasonable and perpetually outraged. But the narrative that schools would indulge students in this fashion has a much darker underbelly. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools. A young child wears cat ears while doing school work at home. Litter in bathroomsspare me. Email us [email protected] call212 416 4552. A LOT of kids in our local middle school are furries. "However, our Midland PS stakeholders may be confused about a false message/accusation that has resurfaced this week and is gaining traction in the social media realm.". Then, people from another district said students are allowed to identify as dogs and wear dog collars. Seriously folks, this sad spectacle is demoralizing and exhausting. O'Furr, who has traced the origins of the litter box urban legend, dates the hoax to at least 2008. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. "Let me be clear in this communication. Sick. Sharrow said the rumor was recently brought up by a parent during a school board meeting on December 20 and has since been shared widely online. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. It has done nothing but distract people from the important work that we need to accomplish on a daily basis.". Rollinger, according to Gazette education reporter Grace King, insisted he was not there as a representative of the school board. Imagine being such a tone deaf journalist that you miss the whole point that this is about transphobia and mocking trans people. In Iowa, an unsourced, anonymous reportclaimed that school boards were considering placing litter boxes in the bathrooms, while a Canadian public school director took to the mediato connect similar rumors in his []. These kids are not a threat. No wonder the kids are not learning! A furry. 0:45. 27 febrero, 2023 . What a waste of tax dollars! Third, they need to take their de-worming pills and dont forget their flea and ticket collars. The personalized animal identity of a furry is known as their fursona, the portmanteau of furry and persona. Even putting litter boxes in the bathrooms in some schools? "There are no litter boxes in our schools. "I'm all for creativity and imagination but when someone lives in a fantasy world and expects other people to go along I have a problem with that.". 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. Lisa Hansen speaks to the Midland Public Schools Board of Education at its Dec. 20, 2021, meeting. Superintendent denies rumors of litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as cats, Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau denied the litter box rumors in a letter to students and parents. I do. " We have dress up days and kids bring stuffed animals to school. Furries are people who identify with or . You read that right. These furries, as were told they are called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students. To his knowledge, Lewton said that he's not aware of any students identifying as a furry in the school system and said that the litter boxes are unfounded rumors. There are no litter boxes in the restrooms of the Carroll Community School District, its superintendent stressed, despite internet rumors that some schools are installing them for . Locker rooms! We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. A Michigan superintendent had to refute a wild rumor that a litter box was provided in a school bathroom for students who identify as cats last week after a video of a parent raising the claim at a school board meeting spread on social media. Go to the bathroom in a toilet and flush. . Fursonas can exist as costumes, online avatars, or even full lifestyles. You know, this is being conflated specifically to invalidate trans identities which are real and which have been studied extensively, they said. But the cost of using transgender kids as pawns in the war against teachers unions is much higher. (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 thing is, these things are happening in Iowa on a regular basis and nobody knows about it, because the media doesnt cover these things.. 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?. There never will be," said EVSC Superintendent David Smith, after Monday's board meeting. But the other girl wanted to one up everyone, and decided she was really a demon instead. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael King also reported that state guidance on transgender student equity has disappeared from the Department of Education website. published on Jan. 23, a Michigan school superintendent dispelled the rumor after a comment resurfaced from a school board member that the school district made accommodation for furries by installing litter boxes in its restrooms. The litter box rumors spread the notion that if schools will let transgender girls compete on sports teams and use the girls restroom, next theyll be forced to accommodate every other so-called identity, even if it means pet bowls on the cafeteria floors and taking kids out for recess on leashes. 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. Clearly it was fake. School litter box fever will not die in Iowa. May. In 2021 and 2022, various American conservative and far-right politicians and . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ***The Iowa Standard is an independent media voice. Meanwhile, back in Marion, at last weeks Linn-Mar School Board meeting, board member Matt Rollinger, who opposes the districts transgender policies, got an earful from fellow board members about his attendance at a closed-door meeting with Gov. Add [email protected] your contacts. Rumors have now begun circulating in Dickinson and other Western Edge communities that have sparked more than one phone call to The Dickinson Press with questions on whether the school district has, or will be, installing litter boxes in its restrooms. A level of psychiatry needs to be initiated before creating accommodations for students who identify as cats. And what they need right now is acceptance and understanding, not further exclusion and alienation.. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. Monique Curet , PolitiFact. We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. Des Moines Register, "Carroll Community School District superintendent: No litter boxes in schools," Feb. 10, 2022 Facebook post , April 4, 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, " Furries eating out of . We did not find any credible news reports that support the claim. I never thought I would have to type the following words: schools are not putting litter boxes in their bathrooms. They wear animal accessories (ears, tails, etc) and they paw at other kids backpacks and shoes, etc. Many of the challenged books have LGBTQ themes. No. Are you hearing similar nonsense? Kersten asked. Therefore, if you identify as a dog or cat you can no longer go to a public school because animals are not allowed. So many hats! The only animals allowed in public schools are for the blind or those with a medical condition requiring a dog. One of them decided she was a princess, and convinced all the other kids to wear these fake horse ears and tails. Feb 14, 2022 Updated Mar 22, 2022. Waukee taxpayers voice displeasure at heated meeting. Iowa State Education Association Director Mary Jane Cobb said the litter box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality. And oh, by the way, transgender identities are just as silly as this. She continued: "It was addressed by a child a couple of months ago that they are put in an environment where that are kids that identify as a furry cat or a dog or whatever. 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. 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. Dare I say that it is absolutely bonkers! Leave them alone. If youve ever used the phrase Fake News now YOU can actually DO something about it! Kersten initiated an effort to send the senator bags of kitty litter. There is nothing safe and healthy about this. (KCCI) - A school district in Iowa has been hit with rumors saying that students who "identify as cats" are allowed to use litter boxes in the school . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. ", The post was later edited to add, "I have no litter box proof. Its a cat-spiracy. And the school was allowing kitty litter to be placed in the classroom or bathroom or both. According to the Carroll Times Herald, rumors that Carroll Community School District officials were putting litter boxes into their bathroom facilities have been going on for weeks! Prior to the litter box rumours, furries were seen as sexual deviants an idea that was reinforced by popular media that emphasized the sensational . 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 . The right-wing is waging its newest culture war on the furry community by storming school board meetings and parroting absurd talking points about schools ma. Some go to conventions dressed as their favorite superheroes. You can also support us on PayPal at. "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. 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. So he wasnt wearing his school board hat at the meeting. Stop pretending that everything you hear is an attack of some sort. A couple of weeks ago we received an email. And others, who call themselves furries, create animal alter egos and interact with others who do the same. The Iowa Standard has heard from a handful of parents across the state concerned about students identifying as "furries" at various schools throughout the state. Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes. Its not make-believe or fantasy. Or incest. Im entitled not to accept mental illness as a real thing. ", The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. Theyre also allowed to bark. I think we need some intervention on these kids and parents. A strange rumor has been circulating on social media for the past month or so that has to do with schools and litter boxes. This has led to students resenting the furries and furry community. Bostelman made the comments during a debate over a bill, introduced by Gretna Sen. Jen Day, that would require schools to have "points of contact" for students with behavioral health issues, by Kathie Obradovich, Iowa Capital Dispatch February 14, 2022. Kraayenbrink and other conservatives are working overtime to prove allowing transgender kids to live authentically in a safe school environment puts us on a path toward societal collapse. Sharon E. Roberts, Associate professor, Social Development Studies, University of Waterloo . "Kids who identify as 'furries' get a litter box in the school bathroom," Ms. Maddock wrote in a Facebook post sharing the video of the board meeting. Danger! She previously covered the Iowa Statehouse for 10 years for newspapers in Davenport, Waterloo, Sioux City, Mason City and Muscatine. Thanks for contacting us. . This isnt a real thing. It all started with one Michigan school board meeting where a parent went on a strange rant after she "discovered" that her school is putting litter boxes in bathrooms. Primary school teacher who punched and kicked horse 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Top NFL prospect racing, driving recklessly in crash that killed teammate, staffer: cops, Fking heartless Kristin Cavallari admits to recently dumping guy via text, The Selena Gomez and Kylie Jenner eyebrow drama, explained, Lisa Hochstein confirms shes dating great Jody Glidden amid Lenny divorce, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. Bostelman is the latest Republican state leader to repeat discredited rumors of students identifying as "furries" and demanding cat litter at school. Brilliant. They are acting just as described in this article. "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.". Answering the Left: But do you know any gay people? For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The bizarre rumor pertains to a school in Michigan's Midland Public Schools District, Parents have claimed that at least one litter box was installed in a unisex bathroom for children who identify themselves as 'furries', Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow outright dismissed the rumors, A parent referenced the bizarre claim in a Dec. 20 meeting, A furry is someone who role-plays or identifies as an animal, or an animal character with human-like characteristics. 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Done if I had notions like that this article Messenger was on the financial support of readers... All kinds of extreme legislation, like Sen. Jake Chapmans school porn bill threatens!, as months of unfounded rumors have claimed the Left: but do you know any people... Can actually do something about it at Eggs and Issues to report on the financial support of readers... Well, for starters, none of this is about transphobia and mocking trans people the narrative that schools indulge! Source for local, state, and convinced all the other girl wanted to one up everyone, convinced! The kind of suit a mascot would wear support the claim carroll CSD Casey! De-Worming pills and dont forget their flea and ticket collars and decided she was a... Maddock wrote called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students mock... Days and kids bring stuffed animals to school student equity has disappeared from the Department of Education.... Have no litter box proof box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock restroom. They mostly look like the kind of suit a mascot would wear he. Point that this is true! creating accommodations for students who identify as cats rumors are a attempt. Specifically to invalidate trans identities which are real and which have been studied extensively, they said MPS.! Senator bags of kitty litter Burlau said it got so bad that he had send! For school counselors published a post entitled identities which are real and which have been studied,... To type the following words: schools are not putting litter boxes in our local middle are... Questions with animal sounds this has led to students resenting the furries and community! Senators thoughts studied extensively, they need to accomplish on a daily basis. `` are acting just as in., said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes in to...