Ask SAM: Are there really litter boxes in school restrooms? PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. From abortion to book bans, critical race theory and transgender rights, much political rhetoric in the run-up to the mid-term elections in the United States has centered around culture war issues. High 39F. The artist Dorian Electra, at every concert venue they go to, they put litter boxes in the bathroom. Back in action: Jeopardy contestant from Winston-Salem returns to show, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years. 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 animals and disrupting classrooms. Checking back? There is a real subculture of people known as furries, a community of children and adults who roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. (The district said the worksheets were fake and not affiliated with its schools.). Police ID man killed in downtown shooting. [6], In May 2022, during a televised debate on a bill in the Nebraska legislature, the Republican state senator Bruce Bostelman claimed that "schools are wanting to put litter boxes in the schools" for students who were furries. [50][41][53], In January 2022, Michelle Evans, a Texan Republican running for congress, claimed that cafeteria tables were "being lowered in certain Round Rock Independent School District middle and high schools to allow 'furries' to more easily eat without utensils or their hands". [71], In August 2022, rumors of litter boxes were directed at two high schools in South Carolina. We do have some specialized cleaning kits specifically for emergency bodily fluid clean up and they do include a granular, absorbent substance that helps absorb and solidify bodily fluid in a safe way. accounts, the history behind an article. Superintendent debunks claims of litter boxes in schools for students who identify as cats In a message to the school district, Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow [15], As the hoax spread widely in the United States and garnered media attention, online rumors spread to several other Canadian provinces and schools. Sometimes they dress up in full costumes (known as fursuits), designed to look like anthropomorphic characters theyve imagined. Claim: As of late 2021 or early 2022, at least one bathroom in one public school in Midland, Michigan, contained a litter box installed for the use of students adopting a feline alter ego. MIDLAND, Mich. (WILX/Gray News) A superintendent in Michigan is trying to clear up any misconceptions or rumors about a conspiracy theory regarding students who identify as cats.. In response, the superintendent of the school board visited every bathroom in the district, and verified at the meeting that the rumors were untrue. A state senator recently claimed that schools were putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate students that identify as furries. "I had a lot of concern about this because it was becoming a distraction to the learning and teaching at some of our schools," he said in an interview with CBC News: Compass host Steve Bruce. Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow sent a message to the school district to address the claim. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Among those who had promoted the hoax and prevailed in their races included the incumbents U.S. In January, a Michigan public school district had to issue a denial to a parents claim that it was providing litter boxes in unisex bathrooms to children who identified as animals, after a Michigan Republican Party co-chair amplified the rumor. Please subscribe to keep reading. Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. You have permission to edit this article. [5] Jensen said: "But what about education? For federal tax forms, you can go to www.usa.gov/get-tax-forms#item-35432 and print out various federal tax forms and instructions, including the 1040 form. The school district denied the claims. 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 Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, a participant shared a rumor that litter boxes were being placed in West Bend schools. [17] In November 2022, Bolduc said during a televised debate that the burden was on the school to proof that litter boxes were not being used;[91] the school named by Bolduc confirmed it was a false allegation. If your knowledge of furries comes mostly from television or social media, then what youve heard about furries is probably wrong. [22][9][23][21] Some conservative politicians and activists argued that protections for LGBTQ+ students in schools had "gone too far" and that litter box accommodations are what they might lead to next,[24][25] despite there being no confirmed instances of schools providing litter boxes for students to defecate or urinate in, or planning to do so. None of them have ever reported feeling like their teachers or anyone else in their life were expected by society to respect their queer identity. Brent Campbell, the chief communications and external relations officer for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools said that the WSFCS does not use cat litter in any form in the schools or bathrooms. Answering the question, 'Are Star Trek fans Trekkies or Trekkers?'. [4][66][67] In Iowa, Republican state senator Tim Kraayenbrink said at a public forum that schools were putting litter boxes in schools for furries to use. Photo illustration by Slate. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Senator J.D. "[13] Geoff Wetrosky of the Human Rights Campaign, said, "The attention this freakish lie has received on social media illustrates the pernicious influence of disinformation and that anti-LGBTQ+ politicians will do and say anything to animate the most extreme fringeno matter the consequence. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. But just like with book bans, furry fearmongering is translating into state law: The Cedar Rapids Gazette reported this week that the Iowa Senate has passed new laws enshrining further parental control over students education, in part spurred by Februarys litter-box rumors. [77] In Tennessee, state senator Janice Bowling made the litter box claim during a committee meeting and characterized it as "growing crisis" state and local officials countered that it was false information. Its all this old shit I thought we were past thats coming back, and it looks furries might get dragged along with it., Kameron Dunn agrees. Family members and other people in the community who care about our schools have pointed out that these rumors are circulating on social media, not just about Lamoille, but about schools across the country.. Would you like to receive our Chittenden County news updates? "[106] Christopher Tremoglie of the conservative website Washington Examiner said that rumors in mid 2022 of litter boxes in Iowa schools were false. He said: No - not socially, culturally or by any national or local LGBTQ organization., He added, People who identify as furries do so for fun; it is not a primary identification.. Elections: What EVSC school board candidates say about diversity, inclusion and masks. [76] In Ohio, State Board of Education member Brendan Shea repeated the litter box rumor in debate about a resolution to restrict protections for LGBTQ+ students. Were a small group of interdisciplinary professors who have studied furries and other fan groups for more than 15 years. State finds issues with public records, open meetings and handling of contract for lawyer, Diamondback to open lunch spot in Innovation Quarter. In March, a seventh grader was suspended from a different Michigan school district for allegedly barking at a classmate, and the superintendent specified that there was a group of children who identify as furry kids. Around that time, a Wisconsin radio show host said a local school district was implementing protocols for students in animal costumes. ", "Fact Check-No evidence of schools accommodating 'furries' with litter boxes", "Ron Johnson goes on transphobic rant, says trans teens 'think weird things' and are going through 'phases', "New Hampshire Senate race: Maggie Hassan, Don Bolduc debate abortion, inflation, energy - recap", "N.H. school officials push back after Bolduc repeats hoax about kids using litter boxes", "Fact check: Do SLO County schools have litter boxes for students identifying as 'furries'? He later said that he had not verified the claim was true prior to sharing it. person will not be tolerated. 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. While many furries have no interest in acquiring a fursuit at all, they can also be prohibitively expensive. Most people who are required to file 2021 tax returns will have done so by the official filing due date Monday, April 18. In February, the Daily Beast reported that some Pennsylvania-based school board attendees who supported book bans on certain subjects also taunted other parents about their children being furries. Well, if you were to survey some school officials, radio hosts, and even politicians across the U.S., you might find quite a few flapping their hands about a new alleged threat to schoolchildren: litter boxes and animal sounds. [36][37], In 2016, American radio show host Michael L. Brown wrote an opinion piece in The Christian Post opposing to transgender accommodations and gender-affirming procedures, stating, "if we don't stop this downward slide, we might soon be required to provide litter boxes for people who identify as cats. Keep it clean. [It has been] circulating around the internet for more than a decade: This claim that there is a pandemic of furries in schools eating out of dog bowls or barking and hissing in class, said Plante. And there are furry conventions where such enthusiasts gather in various cities to meet other members of the community whom theyve only met online, buy art works, and fundraise for charities, among other activities. You can find similarand very recentstories out of Missouri, Illinois, North Dakota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and more. One parent has called me directly about this, Bethann Pirie, Lamoille Union principal, said. According to the U.S. Winds light and variable. [41][42], The only known official instance of cat litter being placed in school classrooms for potential use by students was in the late 2010s by the Jefferson County Public School District in Colorado, where the 1999 Columbine High School massacre took place. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. [a][8] In October 2022, in response to a letter that was sent to local media, administrators for the Renfrew County District School Board or Renfrew County Catholic District School Board in Ontario issued statements that their schools "do not have, and have never had, litter boxes in any of our elementary or secondary sites". Have you heard of cosplay, where people costume as characters? After the rumors spread widely in schools and on social media, the Public Schools Branch denied claims of litter boxes, with the director of the school district saying "It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, and we would have many that would say this is rooted in hate". What are we doing to our kids? I am really disturbed by that.. [100] Two fact-checking assessment by Reuters, in July 2022 and again in October 2022, concluded that there was no evidence that schools were officially recognizing the animal expressions of students participating in the furry fandom trend or accommodating students with litter boxes. Some fursuits are phenomenally engineered with fans, cooling packs and LED lights built into them. There is a big difference between those legitimate concerns and these rumors. And yet, despite our having studied thousands of furries, weve found no evidence to support this If there is an epidemic of kids howling and meowing in schools, youd think it would be easier to find them and put them in front of a camera (or, at very least, one of their teachers!).. [101][89] According to an NBC News analysis, by mid October 2022, at least 20 conservative candidates and election officials had asserted that elementary and secondary schools were providing litter boxes or other accommodations for students who identify as catsevery school district named in such claims said they were false. Students will be able to get haircuts and talk weekly with mentors. Psychology professor Elizabeth Fein, who also researches furries and therians, told Reuters: While therians recognize they have human bodies, they might also feel they have the reincarnated soul of a wolf, or that they have a sense of affinity with cats that is so deep that they are on some level a cat themselves. 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