With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. This content is provided by our sponsor. Furries are a fandom, like anime, Star Trek or football. Without merit at all, says Lydia Young, teaching professor for Northeasterns Graduate School of Education and faculty lead for the teacher licensure program. Primary school teacher who punched and kicked horse Carole Baskins dead husband found alive but no one noticed last year, I went to McDonalds drive-thru for lunch but left with bags of cash instead, Ex-'SNL' star talks MLK Jr. 'penis' statue in 'Daily Show' debut: 'Can't unsee it', Sutton Stracke: I want to fight bossy ex-RHOBH co-star Lisa Rinna, Jim Edmonds says ex Meghan Kings lies about him are fking annoying, Conor Kennedy gifts pal Andrew Warren rare Dior purse at Miami bash, Kitten born with same 'Zorro' mask as her father, Shakira allegedly discovered Gerard Piqu's cheating because of a jam jar. Therefore, if you identify as a dog or cat you can no longer go to a public school because animals are not allowed. Several posts to the story suggested it was rumor and that, certainly, employees were not allowed to wear fursuits at work. 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. The school district called that blogs story completely inaccurate and not something it would permit. Will the arrest of Ovidio Guzmn, son of infamous cartel leader El Chapo, help Mexicos war on drugs? So far, the Rumor Has It page has been helpful in combatting harmful rumors and gathering positive feedback from the community, Grand Forks Superintendent Terry Brenner said. 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.. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. But the claim has taken on a life of its own among a growing number of Republicans, conservative influencers and political commentators. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow took to Facebook on Thursday to deny the claims, insisting no litter box accommodations had been made for any students who identify as a "furry." I dont go out wearing tail, gloves, ears, or fursuit heads on any normal day, she said in an email. 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. Putting aside broader questions about the degree to which weve lost our minds, Jensens claim was, and is, ridiculous: No one is putting litter boxes in schools because children identify as furries. Furries are fans of animals that have human characteristics, such as talking or walking on their hind legs. Olivia, 16, from California, said shes been part of the furry community for six years. It is a shame that the furry community still endures (some) negative media portrayals and public misperception as deviants because the truth of this remarkable and resilient community is far more interesting, Dr. Sharon E. Roberts, associate professor at the University of Waterloo and a co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, told The Post. Go figure: The social media criticisms flew fast and furry-ous. We've received your submission. ET. The "furry protocol" rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. In January 2022, for example, unfounded rumors were circulated on social media . Brenner found the hoax in his school community to be purposefully deceitful and part of an overarching political agenda to sow distrust in public schools. Im a co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, also known as Furscience. Join us for this event with educators and experts on the current state of equity and what comes next. John D. OBryant, a civil rights leader of Martin Luther King Jr.s era, is honored at new Boston Common statue, Northeastern upsets UConn, 4-1, at Frozen Fenway on 29 saves by Devon Levi, the best goaltender in the country, Don Orsillo, Northeastern graduate and MLB voice, sounds off on Red Sox, Bogaerts and his time as a Husky, Northeastern mens hockey team hopes frozen Fenway Park will be a game-changer. November 4, 2022. The first group is those who read the headline and had to know what this craziness was even about. In an email on Sunday night, Ms. Hansen described herself as a concerned mom trying to protect my child., We parents arent sure what our schools are up to, she said. And we just wanted to try to knock that noise down at the very least at the local level.. 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. Fursonas can be a safe, functional way for furries to explore who they are as people. In his statement, Mr. Sharrow debunked the rumor as categorically false. Many people think that furries dress up as animals. It takes us away from what were working on and what were trying to accomplish on a daily basis, Powers said. 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. Anything is possible and I cant disprove a negative. It feels like everyone has an opinion, or heard a rumour, about kids dressing up as animals, calling themselves furries and demanding litter boxes. School litter box fever will not die in Iowa. It began as a large quest for self-discovery. The claim is a local school district is putting litter boxes in . People go because its an opportunity to wear fursuits and to be around other furries, she said. Unionization, lawsuits and China: How will the video game industry adapt in 2023? Bunny Hawkins sports pink hair and a bunny mask at her home in Skowhegan last week. And Joe Rogan, a comedian and podcast host, said he knew of a school that was offering litter boxes to students on the Oct. 11 episode of his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan also backtracked on his claims, saying it doesnt seem that theres any proof that they put the litter box in there on a later podcast episode. Weve lost our minds.. They are reports of multiple cats, a gorilla and possibly a wolf furry being employed at BIW though we haven't received a definitive answer on the species being employed though the cats seem to be prevalent furry species. Were his actions justified? 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. Like Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, team mascots. However, most furries' fursonas are wild and mythical animals , such as foxes, wolves, and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. She has a bunny outfit, and her employer, Walmart, allows her to wear a bunny tail and mask while working. One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. Yes. Galguera believes that the funding of U.S. schools mainly with local taxes helps give rise to overzealous concern about what is being taught in schools, a concern that lends itself to rumors and paranoia. 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. The litter boxes rumor circulated on social media and local radio shows earlier this year. Far from merely identifying as felines, furries are an anthropomorphic community whose members sometimes dress up as a variety of animals at conventions, or who have a special fursona with whom they connect. Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals. 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. But it was two weeks ago when CNN ran a report about Jensen pushing a bizarre urban myth. 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. A woman named Lisa Hansen first raised the issue at a December 20 meeting of the Midland Public Schools Board, a . Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. Did you hear the rumor about kitty litter boxes for furries in public schools? He later retracted his comments after finding out they werent true, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Brandy Zadrozny is a senior reporter for NBC News. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY 1/24/2022. A similar claim from parents that students dressed as cats were bringing litter boxes to Iredell-Statesville Schools led board members to propose a ban on all furry costumes, Queen City. School Boards Are Limiting Public Comment. 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, added Hansen, who defined furry as someone who identifies as a cat or a dog, whatever.. She is a co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project/Furscience. Bolduc is among a group of Republican politicians and pundits who spread the same hoax throughout the campaign cycle, causing communications crises for school leaders. Maine 'furries' talk about the fun, friendship and freedom that come from letting your inner animal out. In a Houston taqueria, a customer shot and killed a robbery suspect. Heres why. It becomes a distraction from what it is that were trying to do on a daily basis, he said. That has not stopped such rumors from circulating on social media, where they have been repeated like a game of telephone, often with descriptions of friends of friends who supposedly saw such things firsthand. Join our webinar to learn from experts on how to create safe spaces using neuroscience and trauma-informed approaches. and litter boxes in schools . 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.. The wave of misinformation reflects discontent among many conservatives around how the concepts and politics of gender identity are rapidly shifting. On Jan. 20, Meshawn Maddock, the co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, advanced the rumor, posting on Facebook that Kids who identify as furries get a litter box in the school bathroom, with a link to a parent activist group. At least 20 conservative candidates and elected officials have claimed this year that K-12 schools are placing litter boxes on campus or making other accommodations for students who identify as cats, according to an NBC News review of public statements. Theres a community aspect and a character aspect.. The district where Columbine High School is located has been stocking classrooms with small amounts of cat litter since 2017, but as part of go buckets that contain emergency supplies in case students are locked in a classroom during a shooting. In January, a Michigan public school district had to issue a denial to a parent's claim that it was providing litter boxes in unisex bathrooms to children who "identified" as animals, after. But not everyone ridicules furries, Pratt said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Theres no such thing as a litter box at a furry convention.. You will receive an email to complete the registration. As strange as that may sound to some, director . 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. Kids who identify as furries get a litter box in the school bathroom, Ms. Maddock wrote in a Facebook post sharing the video of the board meeting. Rumors that Maine school districts have been forced to provide litter boxes to animal-identifying children have circulated since last fall. Shes called Pixil, a combination of pixie and pixel. There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats. The second group has heard this same rumor at their own . We've received your submission. And get this, get this, Bolduc says in a recording obtained by CNN. Libby Stanford is a reporter for Education Week. Another 50 per cent of furries own furry paraphernalia a furry T-shirt, ears, collar or tail that communicates their furry interests to others. 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. The rumor, which has been repeated by several Republican nominees around the country as well as making the rounds of cocktail parties, has been repeatedly shot down by fact finding, including an Oct. 31 rebuke of Bolduc by Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. The past few conventions have been canceled because of the COVID pandemic, but a convention featuring furries, comics, fantasy and gaming is scheduled for this coming summer, from June 23 to 26, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in South Portland. Well, all kinds of people go to conferences; sometimes they have sex there. 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. Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News. Like Like. So, lets get the voucher system going.. Some believe they dress that way all the time. Ms. Hansen also says in the video that she plans to do more investigation into the issue. Pratt, who works at Bull Moose headquarters in Portland as the marketing/social media manager, has attended more than 100 conventions. At least 20 conservative candidates and elected officials have claimed this year that K-12 schools are placing litter boxes on campus or making other accommodations for students who identify. One of the female cat furries reportedly asked that a wooden litter box be made and placed in the bathroom. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Rare rock star interviews raw, complete and unedited in new Northeastern digital archive, Gutenberg Bible leaf and so much more. Pratt belongs to the Facebook group Furries of Portland Maine, which has 252 members. University of Waterloo apporte un financement en tant que membre adhrent de TheConversation CA-FR. Many parents and teachers have confided in me privately about the madness thats happening pertaining to this trend, Lauf told NBC News in an email. Its a fandom like anything else, she said, people expressing passion in a way thats good for them and having a community for it, a super safe space.. 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. The fandom also has seen negative press from the media, she said. Reuters has fact checked claims around "furries" in U.S. schools in the past and found no evidence of them disrupting classrooms or schools developing a policy of including them as a formal . 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. He later told a local newspaper he didnt verify the claim was true, and he did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News. About 95 per cent of furries develop their own unique avatar-like character called a fursona. ET. C. May 5, . In other words, the litter box myth is dumb, but its not benign. Bunny Hawkins wears the outfit she works in at Walmart, complete with bunny tail, mask and Walmart vest. Will climate change make them worse? 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. Its not your fault the misinformation is pervasive. "Furries" roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. Powers said that he couldnt guess what politicians like Bolduc stood to gain politically from spreading the rumors. Don Bolduc, Republican candidate for New Hampshire senator, is one of the latest conservative politicians to repeat the hearsay that schools are providing litter boxes for students who identify as anthropomorphic cats, or furries, according to CNN. An unfounded anecdote about kitty litter boxes for role-playing students in public schools is the rumor that just wont quit, and especially in certain political circles. 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 . But the hoax still has a lasting impact during a time when schools need to be laser focused on solving staffing challenges and helping students regain their academic footing. The American high school experience in 2021 is plagued by uncertainty in the face of an ongoing pandemic, aggro anti-mask dads, Tiktok drama, the usual academic hurdles, and furries. In mass media, furries are usually associated with sexual fetishes, the website says, but the most-cited draw to the furry fandom is its sense of belongingness, recreation, and escape from the mundaneness of daily life.. Public schools in Maine and across the country have been plagued by false allegations that they have been forced to provide litter boxes for children who identify as animals, sometimes. Furries dont identify as animals; they identify with animals. Use the form below to reset your password. Getty Images. On Facebook, public posts show variations of the claim popping up throughout the country every day, citing unnamed grandchildren or neighbors, from Florida to California. When they dont like something, they hiss and get this, get this, theyre putting litter boxes [in schools] for them.. Brittany Rose Published: May 19, 2022. The rumor that furries people who have an interest in anthropomorphic animal characters and sometimes dress up as them used litter boxes in the school district, which is about two hours. Ive actually made new friends at school because of it, Dayna said in an email. 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. She gave the example of a far-more mainstream Star Trek convention. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Don Bolduc, Republican candidate for New Hampshire senator, is one of the latest conservative politicians to repeat the hearsay that . Is it any less authentic? Mr. Sharrow did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. 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