Don't have a commenting profile? Heres How Teachers Say It Did. But as the NBC News report added, its important to acknowledge the motivation behind the nonsense. They talk about why people like being furries. Within a few months, similar rumors began to spread in the U.S., where they quickly became culture war fodder. By 1987, there was sufficient interest by people desiring to dress up like their favorite animals to stage the first furry convention. ET. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. It would be like trying to have sex wearing a winter coat inside a spacesuit. Accountability is not a crime.. 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.. When asked by NBC News for evidence to support her assertion, Lauf referred to an anonymous far-right blog that claimed a student was permitted to wear a furry suit to school in Hinsdale, Illinois. In late October, Don Bolduc, the Republican U.S. Senate nominee in New Hampshire, claimed schools were offering litter boxes for students who identified as cats and are part of the furries. This Furry Drama is FALSE and hilariously blown out of proportion so let's talk about it! In fact, the fandom has been studied and analyzed by the International Anthropomorphic Research Project. Still, the untrue gossip is quite hurtful. I think its an agenda that has been started by a small minority group and a political wing, said Brenner, who emphasized he was speaking about his own personal opinion and not on behalf of the district. In Minnesotas gubernatorial race, former state Sen. Scott Jensen has taken some bizarre positions in recent months. This is absurd. But what about education? Jensen said. 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 . A Facebook post says schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. 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.. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. She says being a furry is "a fun . 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. She declined to connect NBC News with any parents or teachers shes spoken with. Surveys and pre-publication research from Furscience also indicate that the vast majority are LGBTQ and as many as a third are transgender. 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. the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. Heidi Ganahl, the Republican nominee for governor of Colorado, speaks at a forum in Denver on Sept. 30. Weve lost our minds. 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. As too many Republicans and their allies push the school litter box myth, it's important to remember that while the claims are dumb, they're not benign. This story has been shared 178,212 times. O'Furr, who has traced the origins of the litter box urban legend, dates the hoax to at least 2008. I like bringing them because its a way to show my creative outlet and something to talk to my friends about. Research also indicates that a fursona can help facilitate interactions with others and result in more social confidence. 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. Powers and his team posted a statement on the schools Twitter account refuting Bolducs claims. Several posts to the story suggested it was rumor and that, certainly, employees were not allowed to wear fursuits at work. Kymera, 14, of Colorado, said being a furry is just a hobby, akin to being a mascot. NBC included the information in a report saying the kitty litter box rumors have become a GOP talking point in states including Colorado, Minnesota and Tennessee. By starting all of this disinformation, they can say, public schools arent the answer. Brandy Zadrozny is a senior reporter for NBC News. In other words, the litter box myth is dumb, but its not benign. There Appears to Be No Truth Behind Maine Kids Using Litter Boxes at School. March 8, 2022 A TikTok video of a mother at a school boarding meeting went viral in which she says she heard Michigan schools were providing litter boxes for furries students who. Also this month, GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert told an audience in her home state of Colorado that educators are putting litter boxes in schools for people who identify as cats. Around the same time, Ed Thelander, a Republican congressional candidate in Maine, touted the same myth. 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. A couple of misunderstandings are that furries have fur fetishes or that they are psychologically dysfunctional, Plante wrote. 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. Reply. Fursonas can be a safe, functional way for furries to explore who they are as people. 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. Laura Baker/Education Week and Irina Strelnikova/iStock/Getty. At face value, this might seem like another example of folks on the right embracing yet another weird myth because it was circulated by Republicans who ought to know better. You cant really go a day on social media without negative comments, she said. We have more than enough to do in teacher education than to debunk false stories. Rogan did not name the school, and his publicist did not respond to a request for comment. In a message to the school district, Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow argued against the claims of litter boxes being provided for students that "identify as cats." (hutchyb // Canva) MIDLAND . crivez un article et rejoignez une communaut de plus de 158 000 universitaires et chercheurs de 4 538 institutions. It takes hard work to avoid being unfairly judged as pushy, aggressive, or emotionalwhile still sticking to your principles. 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 fandom also has seen negative press from the media, she said. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. Some politicians issued warnings about children acting as cats during debates regarding school policies related to transgender and nonbinary youth. The litter box rumor is so attention grabbing its just the sort of thing to go viral on the internet, Galguera says. Were his actions justified? Litter Boxes for Students Who Identify as Furries? Success. So, my parents were saying that a school board in Skowhegan, or, doesn't really matter, had a meeting to allow kids who identify as furries to defecate and pee in school. It is unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication, 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, he wrote. I just cant believe this is real, sputtered one incredulous commenter, while another wrote, Whats going on in this town?. Like asking for a Star Fleet Communicator to be used at work, I suppose that anything is possible., I can tell you, as someone who has studied furries for over a decade, the purported behavior of asking for litter boxes in restrooms is not supported by the research, Roberts says, referring to the rumor as a type of moral panic.. In its most distilled form, furries are a group of people who formed a community or fandom because they have a common interest in anthropomorphic media, friendships and social inclusion. Others wear partials. This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. 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 fandom provides a social network for its members, and furries can benefit tremendously from these friendships. Lets focus on whats really in front of us and not make up stuff.. Counter-protestors stand and hold signs at the intersection of 10th Street and . As he argued for the resolution in a public meeting, Shea said, Weve literally got kids who think theyre cats and dogs using litter boxes in classrooms. Shea did not respond to requests for comment. IE 11 is not supported. There is a real subculture of people known as furries, a community of children and adults who roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. Pratt, who works at Bull Moose headquarters in Portland as the marketing/social media manager, has attended more than 100 conventions. Bunny considers herself a furry those who enjoy dressing like an animal. Many people think that furries dress up as animals. shared a video of the school board meeting and the comments on Facebook. The character you choose is known as your fursona. And according to Bunny, a fursona is sometimes just waiting to be acknowledged. Prior to the litter box rumours, furries were seen as sexual deviants an idea that was reinforced by popular media that emphasized the sensational over facts. Furries allowed to defecate in schools. However, the term furry fandom was being used in online magazines as early as 1983 and had become the standard name for the genre by the mid-1990s, according to the Wikipedia entry. Theres a sense of I pay for what my kids learn that isnt the case in other countries that have a national curriculum, he says. Litter Boxes in Schools: How a Disruptive and Demeaning Hoax Frustrated School Leaders. Changing Demographics: How Educators Expect Populations to Shift, How School Districts Can Benefit From Housing Partnerships, Academic Integrity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience-Aligned & Trauma-Informed Approaches to Supporting Students, Teachers & Staff, What Educators of Color Say It Will Take to Boost Their Numbers in School Leadership, Top Superintendents Detail the Toll of Divisive PoliticsAnd How They've Responded, How to Address System Change in Education. 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?. ET. Associate professor, Social Development Studies, University of Waterloo. Similarly, furries might attend a furry convention, local meet-up or simply connect with like-others online, but they return to everyday life on Mondayjust like everyone else, Roberts says. Have you heard of cosplay, where people costume as characters? What fitness marketers dont tell you about New Years resolutions. When they dont like something, they hiss and get this, get this, theyre putting litter boxes [in schools] for them.. Without merit at all, says Lydia Young, teaching professor for Northeasterns Graduate School of Education and faculty lead for the teacher licensure program. The academy tweeted that political candidates are welcome to visit the campus before making claims about what occurs here.. A Facebook post says schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. He also suggested that hed support incarcerating Minnesotas Democratic secretary of state over election-related conspiracy theories. The first group is those who read the headline and had to know what this craziness was even about. One of the most recent examples involves a relatively unknown community. Its not. to accommodate students who identify as cats, the Public Schools Branch says. While sex can certainly be a part of the furry fandom, the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. It really allows you to be an idealized version of yourself. Young says she read that at least 20 Republican political candidates have mentioned the rumor. And today I am equally stunned and a little bit upset well, not a little bit, a lot of bit upset. 13, 2022 4:31 pm. A Michigan school district has debunked a wild claim that a school provided litter boxes for students who identified as furries people who dress up as anthropomorphic animals. This content is provided by our sponsor. Maddock did not respond to requests for comment. 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. bizarre concession at a Dec. 20 board meeting. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! Its the same for furries. The rise of the litter box rumor shows the power of false claims that start on social media to shape political discourse. Anytime you have something like that, time and resources are spent which then just takes us away from the good work thats being done by our faculty and staff on a daily basis.. It began as a large quest for self-discovery. Conventions typically include art exhibits, dances, vendors selling fursuits, accessories, books and T-shirts. The spread of rumors about litter boxes has grown alongside other extreme and baseless rhetoric accusing LGBTQ people and educators of grooming children through lessons and policies on gender and sexuality. It is such a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you, he wrote. Shes allowed to wear her tail and mask at work, she said. 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. For many furries, the fandom is a way to build social connections with others. Some furries wear full costumes with built-in fans to keep them from getting too warm. That is the case for Bunny Hawkins, who says that without her costume, shes not completely expressing herself. Some politicians issued warnings about children acting as cats during debates regarding school policies related to transgender and nonbinary youth. Furries are fans of animals that have human characteristics, such as talking or walking on their hind legs. A reaction from another user calling for schools to stop admitting furries to schools brought in over 1 million views. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals. Q&A with Mills College at Northeastern library director Janice Braun. Well, all kinds of people go to conferences; sometimes they have sex there. She says being a furry is a fun hobby or fandom. 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. There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats. Why One Principal Is Asking Her Staff to Do Less, We Gave ChatGPT 5 Common Teaching Tasks. The "furry protocol" rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. Mr. Sharrow did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. 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. Login. Prior to the litter box rumors, furries were seen as sexual deviantsan idea that was reinforced by popular media that emphasized the sensational over facts. The next day, the popular conservative Twitter account Libs of TikTok tweeted the video of Hansen at the school board meeting. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. In January 2022, for example, unfounded rumors were circulated on social media . Ms. Hansen also says in the video that she plans to do more investigation into the issue. In the U.S., some groups have the idea we are indoctrinating kids for all these extreme views, he says. Its only used to kind of sensationalize untruth, and to harm our community, in particular our transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive youth, said Nadine Bridges, executive director of One Colorado, an LGBTQ rights organization, when asked about the litter box rumors. Logic isn't connecting for me, nor can I google anything about itit, but I am baffled as to why conservatives in our area are now obsessed with furries. They might dress up as a storm trooper or superhero and attend a comic book convention to have fun with friends. She gave the example of a far-more mainstream Star Trek convention. While many furries have no interest in acquiring a fursuit at all, they can also be prohibitively expensive. Dont expect to find litter boxes at the convention, says Sharon E. 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