Thanks for contacting us. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: [email protected]. 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. A Facebook post says schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. This story has been shared 125,674 times. Me and my two brain cells figured that out, scoffed one critic. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson. 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. 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. or Venmo at Iowa-Standard-2018 or through the mail at: PO Box 112 Sioux Center, IA 51250 There continue to be tales of students identifying as cats with, well, tails and all . 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. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter. Same thing, wear ears, wear hooded onesies with ears and tails, purr, etc. Disgusting, but not life-threatening. 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. I know what my folks would have done if I had notions like that. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools Published: November 7, 2022 4.32pm EST Sharon E. Roberts , University of Waterloo Fargo, Moorhead and West . The personalized animal identity of a furry is known as their fursona, the portmanteau of furry and persona. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Counter-protestors stand and hold signs at the intersection of 10th Street and 29th Avenue during a protest against the Linn-Mar school boards passage of policies to protect transgender students from discrimination near Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa on Friday, May 6, 2022. If you have people who act like and believe they ARE animals, that is NOT a Furry. Maybe he was wearing the Joe and the Hoe Gotta Go hat he sported in a photo circulated on social media during last years school board campaign. May 31DICKINSON In schools across the United States, a growing trend of students identifying themselves with the "fursona" of cats, dogs, ponies and more. 13, 2022 7:00 am, Updated: May. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. This is definitely going on in schools. In January, in possibly the first report, Libs of TikTok posted a video from a Michigan school board meeting of a woman who claimed "kids who identify as a cat or a dog" can pee in litter . Have yall heard about this? A Nebraska state senator has walked back comments he made during a televised debate in which he referenced false rumors about schools providing litter boxes for children who . Some people laughed at how absurd it is that school kids are supposedly going around claiming to be animals. Im entitled not to accept mental illness as a real thing. Lisa Hansen speaks to the Midland Public Schools Board of Education at its Dec. 20, 2021, meeting. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. Secondly, the parents need to be cited for having an unlicensed animal and have not had their rabies shots! To put the rumors to rest, Lewton encouraged parents and community members to be mindful of the information they are hearing and spreading to others. If these student animals are so messed in the head, lets treat them like a cat or dog! "My response to that would be one of the things that teachers have found recently that they've really tried to improve upon is in our language arts classes, (and) other classes too, is making sure that students understand author's point of view, author's bias, credible sources," Lewton said. 27 febrero, 2023 . Abbott's school voucher pitch. These furries, as were told they are called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students. Im just sayin. The anatomy of a rumor: Furries and litter boxes at Dickinson Public Schools Furries, people dressing up and acting like anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and . I agree, this starts at home with good healthy parenting. "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. "Not making them participate. Waukee taxpayers voice displeasure at heated meeting. Theyre also allowed to bark. Of course, the media is keeping littergate secret. Initially, we laughed too. Kathie Obradovich Iowa Capital Dispatch. In a text message Sunday, Kraayenbrink told the Messenger he found out about the litter boxes during a confidential conversation and he does not feel comfortable identifying the district. I was in every school today," Lewton said Thursday. Carroll CSD Superintendent Casey Berlau sent an email to the entire district on February 7th. You have entered an incorrect email address! The 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 students who "identify as cats", or who participate in the furry or otherkin subcultures. Footage of her spurious accusation was subsequently shared to Facebook Thursday byMichigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock, who wrote, Parent heroes will TAKE BACK our schools.. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. Or speak. Nearly 13 years after the 2009 Supreme Court marriage ruling, I have yet to see any weddings between a groom and a cockapoo. (319) 398-8262; [email protected], Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. Being too OPC is retarded. ACROSS AMERICA The conspiracy theory that some school districts are providing litter boxes for students who identify as animals, or "furries," is making the rounds again as the 2022-23 . There never will be," said EVSC Superintendent David Smith, after Monday's board meeting. Bostelman is the latest Republican state leader to repeat discredited rumors of students identifying as "furries" and demanding cat litter at school. No wonder the kids are not learning! 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 . The spokesperson wrote to parents that students were wearing items not school-appropriate. These items include collars and leather straps with spikes. "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.". You know, this is being conflated specifically to invalidate trans identities which are real and which have been studied extensively, they said. Lewton noted that each school within the Dickinson Public Schools district has its own handbook that lays out dress code. But as far as as I know, I haven't (heard anything). Well, litter boxes, apparently. Clearly it was fake. Please consider a one-time sign of support or becoming a monthly supporter at $5, $10/month - whatever you think we're worth! That's when a local news story about a Pittsburgh furry convention led to unfounded . We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. 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.. Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. They are acting just as described in this article. "When I was the middle school principal, our language arts teacher said we have to do this because there is so much media and news out there that doesn't tell the whole story or the truth. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ***The Iowa Standard is an independent media voice. They're not super realistic outfits, so they mostly look like the kind of suit a mascot would wear. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools.. I heard from the same reliable sources that theres this one high school where a couple of girls identify as horses. 0:45. Parents of children in one Iowa school have even claimed that a girl requested a litter box in the girl's restroom. She goes on to say that it is a NATIONAL problem going on in schools. 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 . "This is simply and emphatically not true," and goes on to say " It is very unfortunate that this rumor has been spread over the last several weeks. Elections: What EVSC school board candidates say about diversity, inclusion and masks. Are you hearing similar nonsense? Kersten asked. Some people laughed at how absurd it is that school kids are supposedly . Advertisment: In late 2021 and early 2022, a rumor spread far and wide that conflated distinct groups of people: furries (or the furry fandom) and the transgender/gender diverse community. Information about your device and internet connection, like your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and apps. Litter boxes will not be put in schools on P.E.I. These kids are not a threat. Add [email protected] your contacts. by Kathie Obradovich, Iowa Capital Dispatch February 14, 2022. And what they need right now is acceptance and understanding, not further exclusion and alienation.. For heavens sake, dont allow this to go on! 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. From the Morning Sun: Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow took to Facebook Thursday, addressing false rumors that litter box accommodations were being made for students who identify as "furries.". Yeah, unfortunately. Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock. 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