And today, I am equally stunned and a little bit upset -- well, not a little bit -- I'm furious," she said, according to a video of the meeting posted to YouTube. God, not everything that hurts peoples feelings is wrong. The rumor has been spreading persistently, but was unfounded each time: An Iowa superintendentsent a letterto parents to dispel the myth. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. This story has been shared 125,674 times. And that is what is missing if you know what I mean. Taylor, doesnt your school have acting, dance, music, and art classes where you can express yourselves? King also reported that state guidance on transgender student equity has disappeared from the Department of Education website. 13, 2022 4:31 pm. Doubling down on his denial, Sharrow urged any parents to send him a message in the future if they ever have questions about any "wild accusations that don't sound like something" the district would do. 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 . 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 . Its a cat-spiracy. And so, we've been working on that to make sure that our kids are good citizens and that they can identify author's bias or credible sources. The rumor had also been peddled on Facebook by the co-chair of the Michigan GOP, Meshawn Maddock. This woman claims that a group of kids who identify as "furries" and specifically identified as cats was given litter boxes in the unisex bathroom at this school. Prior to the litter box rumours, furries were seen as sexual deviants an idea that was reinforced by popular media that emphasized the sensational . By clicking Accept all you agree that Yahoo and our partners will process your personal information, and use technologies such as cookies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights, and product development. Some furries even wear animal costumes or tails in public, I believe I'm a WOLF and I dress up using furry ears and a tail to howl in the woods, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Nothing wrong with being Transphobic . Ernie Kersten had been at the Eggs and Issues legislative forum in Fort Dodge, where state Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, went on a curious riff about why Iowa needs to offer publicly funded scholarships to help families send kids to private school. Have yall heard about this? You can also support us on PayPal at. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael The rumor is that our schools have litter boxes in the restrooms to accommodate individuals who are self-identifying as animals. So he wasnt wearing his school board hat at the meeting. A senator repeated a long-disproven hoax about children who identify as cats using litter boxes and shitting on the floor in schools on Monday, in the latest absurdity to come out of . Danger! Therefore, if you identify as a dog or cat you can no longer go to a public school because animals are not allowed. And last week, as I was meeting people at the Clay County GOP booth at the county fair, a student told me this sort of thing is happening at their school too. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. "Our community needs to understand that the agenda that is being pushed through our schools, in my opinion, is somewhat nefarious when it comes to some of the activities.". And others, who call themselves furries, create animal alter egos and interact with others who do the same. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. . Go figure: The social media criticisms flew fast and furry-ous. This has led to students resenting the furries and furry community. They are . School litter box fever will not die in Iowa. [] reports have popped up elsewhere. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. Iowa is being plagued by multiple cases of what Im diagnosing as a strain of cat scratch fever. It all ended in a big fight that caused massive property damage to the school. Monique Curet , PolitiFact. Meanwhile, back in Marion, at last weeks Linn-Mar School Board meeting, board member Matt Rollinger, who opposes the districts transgender policies, got an earful from fellow board members about his attendance at a closed-door meeting with Gov. 2. ", The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. Something is very wrong at home and in school if this is excepted in our schools. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. They were wrong then and theyre wrong now. These kids are not a threat. This story has been shared 102,999 times. Its more of a role-playing type thing that some people do to express themselves in a different way. No. Those that have sex in the suits is what they're infamous for, but that's only a small percent of furries. Nati Harnik AP. Add newsletters@thegazette.comto your contacts. You can also support us on PayPal at. A school had to send an email putting this rumor to rest. Dont think its not happening in your area because it probably is. A couple of weeks ago we received an email. (Read more about ourpartnership with Facebook.). Otherwise, if we don't stop this downward slide, we might soon be required to provide litter boxes for people who identify as cats. While there are no chickens in this tiny house, you can still have some fun in this cozy space in Fayette. You guys are truly ignorant. Secondly, the parents need to be cited for having an unlicensed animal and have not had their rabies shots! Not in the Fort Dodge district, but in my Senate district, theyre requiring these schools to put kitty litter boxes in the bathroom, Kraayenbrink said, according to the Messengers Kelby Wingert. Actually, I was listening to Simon Conway talk about this today, and it apparently IS going on in IOWA schools. These lawsuits should be plain and simple. Published: Feb. 11, 2022 at 1:39 PM PST. May. You know, this is being conflated specifically to invalidate trans identities which are real and which have been studied extensively, they said. It looks like it isnt just happening in Iowa, thankfullyI guess? Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes. The solution, obviously, is to take tens of millions of dollars from public schools and give it to private schools, because parents should be scared to send their kids to public schools. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools. "Kids who identify as 'furries' get a litter box in the school bathroom. (KCCI) - A school district in Iowa has been hit with rumors saying that students who "identify as cats" are allowed to use litter boxes in the school . Elections: What EVSC school board candidates say about diversity, inclusion and masks. Or incest. You have entered an incorrect email address! 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Facebook post detailing the hilarious rumor, Maid caf trashed as Hooters for incels now biz is booming, My boyfriend cheated on me with my stepmom heres how I busted them, I rage applied myself out of workplace hell and into an extra $50K, Im an 89-year-old who went on my first date in 30 years but got stood up. "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. You read that right. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Fifth, they need to be spayed or neutered cause these are the types of people that should not be allowed to breed! May. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. ", The post was later edited to add, "I have no litter box proof. What in the world is happening? We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. 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. As a result, school boards and social media have spawned the subject into a hot button conversation and widespread rumors. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Seriously folks, this sad spectacle is demoralizing and exhausting. As for the rest of us, expect headaches, confusion and exhaustion. As part of this fact checking article, we reached out to Dickinson Public Schools to shed light on a growing rumor alleging that some unique furry protocols are coming to a school near you. The litter box canard also serves another political purpose: Trying to scare parents. I asked Keenan Crow of One Iowa, a LGBTQ advocacy group, if they think its a coincidence that a story like this would pop up at a time when public schools are under attack and conservative lawmakers are working to put restrictions on transgender and LGBTQ students. His houseguests are transported to a classic speakeasy with the push of a secret door in his home. It probably wont pass, but it serves a larger purpose of making Iowa parents distrust and fear public schools at a time when Gov. And lots of people of all ages actually do engage in fantasy role-playing as entertainment. The same story has popped up at a few school districts across the country, starting with Midland Public Schools in Michigan in December after a parent brought up concerns about litter boxes in restrooms at a school board meeting. Once you see through this political cat-and-mouse game, the litter box story just seems doggone sad. Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] - A hearing of a Tennessee Legislature Committee has surpassed thousands of views online, where two state lawmakers report that their constituents say that there are children in Tennessee identifying as "furries" being allowed to use the restroom in litter boxes at school. A furry. Consider the message it sends transgender kids. One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. 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 . And oh, by the way, transgender identities are just as silly as this. But the other girl wanted to one up everyone, and decided she was really a demon instead. Thats why Iowa Capital Dispatch, a nonprofit, independent source for quality journalism, is working every day to keep you informed about what government officials are doing with your money, your freedom and your safety. 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. But the narrative that schools would indulge students in this fashion has a much darker underbelly. Theyre also allowed to bark. Somehow, it always comes back to money. Interestingly, the school wrote it doesnt want to discourage or thwart the creativity or individualism of students, but it wants to promote a safe and healthy culture for all kids to feel comfortable. Furries like to create a character that is basically what would I be if I was an animal cartoon character but we dont believe we ARE animals, its just like cosplaying any other character in media except its one you create yourself. 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