2. I didnt realize theyre still making new episodes of Family Guy. 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. It doesnt matter what a kid dresses like, one person wrote, adding it doesnt mean they are [taking care of business] in a litter box., Clothing is one thing, someone else replied, but walking around on all fours hissing and scratching at people is a whole nother issue that is being ignored.. LGBTQ2SIA+ is the acronym used by Basic Rights Oregon and other advocacy groups to describe those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, two-spirit, intersexual, asexual and/or other varying genders and sexualities. Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist-in-chief and director of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Johns Hopkins University Hospital (and current distinguished professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences), echoed this sentiment when discussing the medical field and transgender people. 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. The school districts say these claims are untrue. By Brooke Sopelsa. "It is such a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you.". The email was also published in a regional Facebook group. In April 2022, a false rumor about a school district in Wisconsin implementing a set of "furry protocols" in order to deal with a rash of students who were "identifying as cats" was presented as genuine news on a conservative podcast. The New York Times, USA TODAY, Politifact, Reuters and Snopes, among other publications, wrote articles confirming the claims were unfounded. But as of right now, I have not been able to verify a single one of the claims. 2022. WATCH: New Buddy Wildlife Documentary Premieres OnPITB! 11:AM-2:PM 99.9 FM /AM 1380 MA, RI. This is what we're doing now in 2022. '"The grandmother said a petition to end the practice was created by students and has more than 1,000 signatures. Special access for subscribers! "Apparently, from what I understand, theyre called 'furries,'" the grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY. NBC News spoke to three school-age furries who have posted on TikTok about the experience of being a furry at school. At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats. But this post tells a story that simply didn't happen. Nonbinary is when someone does not identify as either male or female. 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. 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. 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. In a follow-up video the teacher admitted she made up the story to create awareness of what kids are going through at school. She didnt elaborate, so its not clear if she was criticizing school policies for allowing students to identify as different genders or arguing that kids needs arent accommodated. students identifying as cats. Rumors claiming schools are putting litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as cats have spread across the United States this year, and have now reached Salem. Not everyone supported the policy changes, with a group protesting them outside district offices in April. A reaction from another user calling for schools to stop admitting furries to schools brought in over 1 million views. "I was hearing rumblings of this last year, but it really got bad when they went back to school this year. In one of the images, she appears to be crawling on her hands and knees. The rumour was also spread by popular US podcaster Joe Rogan. Woman who thinks she's a cat trapped in a human body 'hisses at dogs' and has tried to catch mice. The photos show aNorweigan woman who was the subject of multiple media reports in 2016 when she claimed to be a cat trapped in a human's body. Since then, however, it has spread to numerous US states and now to Scotland. 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 grandmother is urging parents and family members to attend the Meade County School Board meeting on Sept. 14 to request further action. I was told by a teacher friend in Georgia that this is true in her state as well. The photos show a young woman wearing costume cat ears. In general, "furries" are people who adopt and identify with an anthropomorphized animal persona, often within online or local communities of other furries, says Furscience, the public face of a team of researchers who study the subculture. 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. Heidi Ganahl, the Republican nominee for governor of Colorado, speaks at a forum in Denver on Sept. 30. "So, now in schools, if a kid wants to identify as a furry, . Kentucky school district: Students are dressing and acting like cats. The behaviour is often linked to a "furries" subculture being adopted by many teens, where many furries feel a deep connection to a particular animal that they take on their "fursona", according to Gerbasi et al. students identifying as cats The district's superintendent said in a public statement that "there have never been litter boxes within (Midland Public) schools.". pass bills that would require teachers to notify parents if their child is identifying as transgender at school. The schools superintendent, Michael Sharrow, was forced to do damage control with a public statement, telling parents its a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you., There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation, Sharrow wrote. Some children, she alleged, would only communicate in barks and hisses. Follow, Investigative Radio host/ On-Scene Facebook Live stream. In Colorado, GOP gubernatorial nominee Heidi Ganahl insisted in several recent interviews that students were dressing and identifying as cats, disrupting class, and the states schools were tolerating it. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-Keizer: Claims of litter boxes in school restrooms are false. Some things in life, like cats, are too good to be muddied by Americas toxic ideological wars. In a word, Sharrow told community members that if it sounds too wacky to be true, it probably is. Some say litter boxes are located in transgender bathrooms in schools. A video of a central Michigan school board meeting. "It could lead to a life of pornography addiction and deviant behavior. This world is nuts, and this is not a rumor." Rudd reached out to Dansville Superintendent Dr. Paul Alioto. 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. The "furry protocol" rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. READ MORE:Isla Bryson: Why are trans criminals put in Scottish women's prisons? Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who arent really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse. The school district called that blogs story completely inaccurate and not something it would permit. I think I will be cat all my life.. Our approach is always unique to the student and we will take into account professional advice and the wellbeing of the student, the Australian school said in a statement. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Joseph Gunderson. Well, not a little bit, a lot a bit upset furious; I would even use that word, Hansen said. And it demonstrates how quickly some elements of truth can be twisted and mashed up with fully debunked assertions to create a viral narrative amplified by prominent politicians, as well as commentators with large audiences. Please! Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. A couple of students identify as cats and demanded a litter box. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools," he wrote. In the days before McKenna appeared on Peta's podcast, Pesta gave a few presentations that mentioned this alleged email. It doesnt make sense," she added.But according to Superintendent Mark Martin, a petition isnt needed.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. The only problem is it isnt true. U/D Providence: **Shots Fired** 41 & 43 Ridgeway Ave. shots fired into two homes. A private school in Australia is reportedly supporting a young "non-verbal" student identifying as a cat. Its like that show and South Park are sort of grandfathered in and get away with things due to their success, but new shows wouldnt be allowed near some of these topics with a 10-foot pole. child/dog. This material may not be reproduced without permission. I like bringing them because its a way to show my creative outlet and something to talk to my friends about. Many people are doing what amounts to an experiment on these young people without telling them its an experiment. Accessed 5 Apr. Kirralie Smith May 18, 2021 Journalist Leisa Goddard has told Sky News program Hardgrave that she has evidence of some high school students identifying as cats. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. The Waunakee Community School District does not have protocols for furries, nor do we have an issue with disruptions in our school and classrooms.. There are websites that claim there is a catgender movement, but that is a different thing. 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.. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The next day, the popular conservative Twitter account Libs of TikTok tweeted the video of Hansen at the school board meeting. Theyre all just like yours: A friend of a friend says it happened in their daughters district, or a teacher friend said she heard a school put a litter box in a bathroom. An Iowa newspaper reported some students in a small town identified as cats. [Doctors] dont have evidence that [the treatment] will be the right one, McHugh said in 2019. do koalas have poisonous claws. Her campaign declined to answer questions about Ganahls claims, but in one interview with a local Fox affiliate, she suggested theres a lot of this going on in Jefferson County. "It's sad were at a point in our culture that a rumor like this even needs to be addressed," said Blair Stenvick, the communications manager for the Portland-based nonprofit Basic Rights Oregon. We have excellent schools here. 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. Indeed, the rumour appears to come from America in a mimicry of the USAs culture war surrounding LGBT+ education in schools. The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up at a . Tags: john depetro north kingstown rhode island Please Share This A Midland, Michigan, middle school student told the school board last fall some of her classmates identify as cats and dogs. Ive studied more than 40,000 furries from 70 different countries over a decade, she said. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. If they feel they are cats, they should stay home, get a liscense and a rabies shot and use their back yard or litter box. "Apparently, from what I understand, theyre called 'furries,'" the grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY. - pattesdechat.com, Another Viral Story Claims A Student Identifies As A Cat Pain In The Bud, Cat On The Street: What Do You Think About Humans Identifying As Felines? The school reportedly said in a statement that its students were demonstrating a range of issues from mental health, anxiety or identity issues. Its a safe bet that the girl identifying as a cat fits this description. A SCOTTISH secondary school has had to deny reports that some of its pupils were identifying as cats and defecating on the floor after school officials refused to provide a litterbox. There are no photos or videos documenting such behavior. 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. The unnamed teenage girl, who is in Year 8, is reportedly allowed to. "Let me be clear there is no truth whatsoever tothis false statement/accusation! A video of a central Michigan school board meeting went national in mid-January after aparent claimed that a"nefarious" agendahad taken hold of public schools in her county. For those of us who subscribe to neither ideology, the whole thing is another sad example of the polarization that is destroying the US, the same divisive talk amplified by platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Last January, the superintendent of Midland Public Schools in Michigan was forced to address community members on Facebook after the rumour took hold locally. arguments have been used throughout history, such as comparing interracial and homosexual relationships to bestiality and pedophilia. "The grandmother is urging parents and family members to attend the Meade County School Board meeting on Sept. 14 to request further action. 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. I understand WHY my daughter home schooled our grandchildren.". February 27, 2023 . USA Today, "Fact check: No, a Michigan public school did not provide litter boxes for students identifying as cats," Jan. 30, 2022. I have two grandkids in school and my grandkids didnt want to go to school anymore," she said. 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. These situations have been addressed consistently by administration and the dress code policy will continue to be implemented with fidelity. 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. Michigan had installed litter boxes in order to appease students who had started identifying as cats, there's no evidence that any schools in Michigan installed litterboxes for their students. Some social media users are sharing a photo they claim shows a student who identifies as a cat. "I heard that at least one of our schools, in our town, has, in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats I am really upset, as a parent, that my child is put in an environment like that.". 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. Nonbinary is when students identify as cats does not identify as a cat been able to verify a single one the! 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