In Minnesota, Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen repeated the false rumor in a campaign speech about gender identity issues. [9] A school official said there was a request for cat litter in one school, but it was denied by the school board and that they did not recognize animal identities. [8] In the United States, popular media coverage of the hoax originally revolved around a school in Michigan in December 2021, but spread to schools in several other states. Rumours about students identifying as cats are rooted in hate, says P.E.I. [108] Kathie Obradovich, a opinion editor with the Iowa Capital Dispatch, argued that the litter box hoax served the political purpose of instilling fear in parents of public schools as a way to shift public education dollars towards private and religious schools. Well, all kinds of people go to conferences; sometimes they have sex there. There never will be," said EVSC Superintendent David Smith, after Monday's board meeting. Fact check: No, schools aren't providing litter boxes for students who identify as furries. West Meadows Townhome Homeowners Association, Paragliders soar past second highest mountain in the world, Venus may have 'evolving' surface, constantly changing due to subsurface bubbling, Millions at Risk of Slipping Into Poverty as COVID-Era SNAP Benefits Set to End, More than 300 words have been added to the English dictionary. Jan 27, 2022. [27] LGBTQA identity is substantially over-represented among furries compared to the general population. [63][64] In New York, administrators for Dansville Central School refuted litter box rumors after an Instagram post received thousands of views. [51][52] The superintendent for the school district of Midland Public Schools described the claims as false, stating "There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement [] There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools". Chance of snow 40%. In response, the superintendent of the school board visited every bathroom in the district, and verified at the meeting that the rumors were untrue. Weve never observed litter boxes at any of the dozens of furry conventions weve attended internationally. Three school-age furries told NBC News they have at times dressed up at school, typically wearing just part of their full costume such as a mask or gloves that look like paws, but theyd never heard of any furry ever asking for a litter box., NBC News talked with Kymera, a 14-year-old from Colorado who said she considers being a furry is just a hobby, akin to being a mascot., I have never once heard a furry say they want to use a litter box, Kymera said. 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. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Reuters asked Michael Bronski, professor of women, gender and sexuality at Harvard, whether identifying as an animal was a protected queer identity. Conservative fearmongering about students seems particularly unlikely to abate for a while. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools. VERDICT False. "[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. 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. Rogan offered no evidence to support the claim,[89] which was circulated on social media and shared on Instagram by the Libs of TikTok account. All Rights Reserved. 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. Some conservative politicians and commentators have said that schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms for people who identify as animals, often not identifying the districts by name. DERBY CENTER- A rumor alleged to have started via the online social media company Tik Tok was dispelled at the North Country Union Junior High Its a TikTok meme, Dunn said. You get warped phrases like self-identifies as a cat. You have rumors about kids thinking theyre a certain animal that they are not. Photos by Getty Images Plus. People have sex and furries are people. "There are no litter boxes in our schools. Q: Where in Winston-Salem can I get state and federal tax forms in paper? Some fursuits are phenomenally engineered with fans, cooling packs and LED lights built into them. Please try again. racist or sexual language. However, its worth noting there are many marginalized statuses within the furry community. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. 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. ", Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Although the litter box controversy was debunked months ago, Tony Dungy, a former NFL head coach and currently a football analyst for NBC Sports, brought it up again Wednesday. A few hours after, the state senator retracted his claim and apologized, having gained backlash online. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The school district denied the claims. Low around 30F. Its the same for furries. Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow sent a message to the school district to address the claim. [8][45] In September 2022, Durham District School Board in Ontario denied rumors and said they "may be rooted in transphobia and homophobia with the intent to diminish and trivialize gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation and cause harm to students and staff who identify as 2SLGBTQI". [95], American football television commentator Tony Dungy posted statement on twitter promoting the hoax on January 18, 2023. For North Carolina tax forms, you can go to www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/individual-income-tax and click on Download Forms and Instructions.. The enabling of this behavior is [helping] people with legitimate mental health issues get applause instead of the medical help they truly need. Is it possible that somewhere someone has asked for a litter box? Cleveland Avenue Homes is being torn down. Rumors persist: Kids arent using litter boxes, school officials say, Morrisville Walgreens to close amid state scrutiny, Elmore resident, Stowe High grad dies in ski accident, Why Vermont can evict Vail from Mount Mansfield, Neighbors protest alternative cell tower location, Student challenges educator for Lamoille South school board, Lamoille County Sheriffs Department statistics, Feb. 10-16, Students cry foul on college cuts to programs, Early morning fire on Spear Street totals new housing development. Public Schools Branch | CBC News Loaded. Don't threaten. The same falsehood also circulated in an Iowa district, and a congressional candidate in Texas tweeted that school cafeteria tables were being lowered to accommodate students identifying as furries. Most people reach out to raise legitimate concerns. Harmful misinformation about furries is running rampant on social media and even being promoted to some school boards. So schools are literal zoos now.. [71], In August 2022, rumors of litter boxes were directed at two high schools in South Carolina. Schools all over are being forced to deal with parents angry about furries & litter boxes. Reuters has sought comment from Stockton, who has provided no evidence to support her claim. 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 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 [87] The school district, along with nearby Lincoln County Schools, said there was no evidence of litter boxes being used on campuses. [5] Jensen said: "But what about education? Error! (That a significant number of furries identify as LGBTQ likely added to the misrepresentation, with homophobia coloring the portrayal of this subculture in the media.). All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism WebThe litter boxes in schools hoax (also called the litter box canard) [1] [2] is a false rumor alleging that certain North American schools provide litter boxes in bathrooms for School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska Its not. Associate professor, Social Development Studies, University of Waterloo. The Winston-Salem Choice Neighborhood plan will involve the demolition and replacement of Cleveland Avenue Homes, but the city is taking steps. Would you like to receive our Chittenden County news updates? [47], By November 2022, school officials for several other Canadian provinces released statements refuting rumors that litter boxes were being provided in schools. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. [103] Hayes Brown, an MSNBC opinion columnist, said it was unclear if politicians spreading the rumors actually believed them or not, but that either way the act of repeating the rumors was "to the detriment of trans kids". Students will be able to get haircuts and talk weekly with mentors. Explanation of where the old term 'hunker down' came from. Whats on the minds of heartland voters in the year 2022? 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. Among those who had promoted the hoax and prevailed in their races included the incumbents U.S. [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. Nor had he seen anti-furry outrage to the degree to where it seems to be overtaking school districts and a lot of political discourse. After all, you can also find newly stoked disputes about furries and schools in the U.K., Canada, and Australia. Thank you for reading! "[111] Leigh Finke, a transgender candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 2022 election, said about the rumors, "It's a really gross thing no one should have to hear. 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. No - obviously, at least to me, it is completely a fabrication. These rumors put us at risk of being hurt or bullied.. [16][6][86] In North Carolina, Iredell-Statesville Schools considered a ban on students wearing furry costumes, in part due to the burden of staff having to refute unsubstantiated rumors about litter boxes in restrooms. The inclusive nature of the furry fandom means that, for many furries, its a safe place where they can be their most authentic selves. 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. [84] When confronted by local media to validate the claim, Lauf instead criticized a state policy to provide free menstrual hygiene products in schools and teachers who refer to children by their preferred gender pronouns. "I think a lot of people thought this was a joke, and it's not a joke.". Not So, Says School Official", "Colorado GOP Governor Candidate Latest To Fall For Student 'Furries' HoaxHere's How Many Others Have Been Duped", "Meet the woman behind Libs of TikTok, secretly fueling the right's outrage machine", "School district denies wild rumours that litter boxes were given to students who identified as 'furries', "Texas GOP hopeful claims school district has special tables for 'furries', "Furries eating out of dog bowls at school? litter boxes in schools for furries maine. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools, After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News, COVID-19 misinformation in the Philippines, Historical distortion regarding Ferdinand Marcos, Disinformation in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Media censorship and disinformation during the Gezi Park protests, Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Litter_boxes_in_schools_hoax&oldid=1141965866, LGBT-related controversies in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 20:18. Send me updates about Slate special offers. There is a real subculture of people known as furries, a community of children and adults who roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters.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 Some teachers were given "go buckets" that contained cat litter to be used as a toilet in an emergency lockdown situation, such as during a school shooting. 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.. In a now deleted tweet, Dungy said, Some school districts are putting litter boxes in the school bathrooms for students who identify as cats. 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