13, 2022 4:31 pm. Fifth, they need to be spayed or neutered cause these are the types of people that should not be allowed to breed! I heard from the same reliable sources that theres this one high school where a couple of girls identify as horses. (319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com, Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. Being too OPC is retarded. "It is unconscionable that this afternoon I . Urinating and defication in a litter box, for others to clean up is unsanitary and quite frankly disgusting. 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. Eastern Iowa Woman Cashes in $250,000 Lottery Prize, Former Hawkeye Standout Keegan Murray Has A Shot At NBA Record, Extremely Common Animal Found In Iowa Is Illegal To Own As A Pet. We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Superintendent denies rumors of litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as cats, Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau denied the litter box rumors in a letter to students and parents. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter. (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 . Texas district debunks GOP hopefuls claim, Fact check: No, a Michigan public school did not provide litter boxes for students identifying as cats. Then, people from another district said students are allowed to identify as dogs and wear dog collars. Wow! Claims of litter boxes in school bathrooms have cropped up on social media both locally and around the country. 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 . Somehow, it always comes back to money. "I was in almost every school yesterday and I think you know that I am in schools a lot. Litter in bathroomsspare me. Some furries even wear animal costumes or tails in public. Clearly it was fake. I wish I were making this up. 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. Dont think its not happening in your area because it probably is. Schools are not putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate children, as months of unfounded rumors have claimed. King also reported that state guidance on transgender student equity has disappeared from the Department of Education website. A gender identity is something innate to a person; a core component of their being that cant be changed, Crow said. Talk about a health violation!! Those that have sex in the suits is what they're infamous for, but that's only a small percent of furries. "Parent heroes will TAKE BACK our . 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. One Iowa man has been going viral for his exceptional bar. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. A young child wears cat ears while doing school work at home. I was in every school today," Lewton said Thursday. 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. They are . They wear animal accessories (ears, tails, etc) and they paw at other kids backpacks and shoes, etc. Iowa State Education Association Director Mary Jane Cobb said the litter box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The bizarre rumor pertains to a school in Michigan's Midland Public Schools District, Parents have claimed that at least one litter box was installed in a unisex bathroom for children who identify themselves as 'furries', Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow outright dismissed the rumors, A parent referenced the bizarre claim in a Dec. 20 meeting, A furry is someone who role-plays or identifies as an animal, or an animal character with human-like characteristics. Todd Dorman. These kids are not a threat. When Can You Get Your License If Your Birthday Is On A Leap Day? Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael I agree, this starts at home with good healthy parenting. The real goal with comparing furries to trans people and bringing up stuff like this is, one, to make fun of furries and say, Oh, arent they so silly. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. For heavens sake, dont allow this to go on! Ill have my tuna on rye, not mixed with kibble, thanks. In a phone conversation with The Dickinson Press, Superintendent Marcus Lewton denied that Dickinson Public Schools has or will be installing any litter boxes in its restrooms. This is sadly happening, and even in rural, conservative, farm country, Iowa. April 11, 2022 Updated: April 11, 2022 8:55 a.m. Mint Images/Getty Images . We did not find any credible news reports that support the claim. Information about your device and internet connection, like your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and apps. We will need to lock them up and feed them the same food other cats and dogs are fed. ", The post was later edited to add, "I have no litter box proof. Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes. Answering the Left: But do you know any gay people? Editor Kathie Obradovich has been covering Iowa government and politics for more than 30 years, most recently as political columnist and opinion editor for the Des Moines Register. FUR-REAL: Iowa students, parents report kids wearing collars, barking, hissing as furries, Des Moines teacher talks about how she works around law banning CRT in class, LETTER: Axne ignoring what is happening to America, HOUSE HEARINGS: Book bill has early Wednesday subcommittee, LIVE: Iowa Senate subcommittee on the bathroom bill, In addition to sexual depictions, Gender Queer plugs adult-only website, School Cafeteria Tables Are Being Lowered for "Furries" Texas Monthly - News Point Club, Pixel Scroll 1/27/22 All Ringworlds Great And Small | File 770, Pixel Scroll 1/27/22 All Ringworlds Great And Small - Newzlab. The Meade School District will not be putting litter boxes in district schools, the superintendent said. Danger! 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. It all started with one Michigan school board meeting where a parent went on a strange rant after she "discovered" that her school is putting litter boxes in bathrooms. , the term furry is defined as a "diverse community of fans, writers, gamers and role players," who come up with an anthropomorphized animal character that they identify with and can function as an avatar within the community. Some say litter boxes are located in "transgender bathrooms" in schools. 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 . "There are no litter boxes in our schools. "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. 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The meeting called together opponents of the transgender policy to discuss their misguided opposition in a comfortable setting, without pesky media or parents, such as myself, who support the districts move. No. (Photo by pixelfit/Getty Images). Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette), Columnist/editorial writer for The Gazette. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Why is damn near everything the GOP pushes anchored in manufactured fear? As . Or incest. No board members responded to the claim on the day of the meeting, but Sharrow's statement on Thursday dismissed the claim entirely. Imagine being such a tone deaf journalist that you miss the whole point that this is about transphobia and mocking trans people., WTF cares. My son largely ignores them but has found out, when forced into "social" situations with them that their parents are in full support, including the kids being nude at home because cats don't wear clothes (litter boxes at home are rumored but not confirmed). Parents and school folk need to put their paws (feet) down and get real. Public school districts have already proven they lack transparency and are willing to tolerate any abhorrent behavior. This is about stupidity not transphobia. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ***The Iowa Standard is an independent media voice. Or speak. 0:45. 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. But the other girl wanted to one up everyone, and decided she was really a demon instead. Whats next? A Facebook post detailing the hilarious rumor is blowing up online. She continued: "It was addressed by a child a couple of months ago that they are put in an environment where that are kids that identify as a furry cat or a dog or whatever. Naturally, Wingert wanted to know which school district the senator was referring to. When a community member made a claim about litter boxes being in Brainerd at a March . 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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Other, similar claims also have circulated in Wisconsin where a school districtdeniedthat it allows students who identify as furries to lick their paws in gym class and bark in hallways and in Texas, where a candidate for state officefalsely claimedthat cafeteria tables are being lowered to allow furries to eat without using utensils. A furry is someone who role-plays or identifies as an animal, or an animal character with human-like characteristics. Meanwhile on TikTok, one video claiming "kids are now requesting litter boxes at school" collected 3 million views on the platform. Only rumor. There are an estimated 250,000 people in the US who . Have yall heard about this? What in the world is happening? It isnt how I pictured civilisations collapse. If youve ever used the phrase Fake News now YOU can actually DO something about it! I received an email last Saturday morning from a guy I know in Fort Dodge dating back to my time at the Fort Dodge Messenger. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. Seriously folks, this sad spectacle is demoralizing and exhausting. February 14, 2022 8:00 am. These kids are already an astronomical risk for adverse mental health outcomes and suicidal ideation, Crow said. by Kathie Obradovich, Iowa Capital Dispatch February 14, 2022. Im just sayin. And what they need right now is acceptance and understanding, not further exclusion and alienation.. "Yesterday I heard something, and I was stunned. "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. Some develop elaborate video-game personas. The flurries of furries has reached North Dakota, with some school districts in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo issuing statements to debunk the kitty litter rumors, as detailed in a Forum. "So, now in schools, if a kid wants to identify as a furry, the school goes along with it?," read an April 4 Facebookpost. Sign up for my, according to Gazette education reporter Grace King, submitting a letter to the editor or guest column. In NY state, a baby can be aborted at birth, but it is illegal, no joke, to declaw a cat. If you have people who act like and believe they ARE animals, that is NOT a Furry. This outrageous notion of schools trying to "accommodate" students who are said to identify as animals, is a far stretch. The rumor had also been peddled on Facebook by the co-chair of the Michigan GOP, Meshawn Maddock. This story has been shared 125,674 times. Rep. Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, undergoes surgery, Texas House Speaker appoints committee for gun legislation, Santa Fe families still denied video, records from 2018 shooting, Hill Country Republican seeks to ban voting on college campuses, Three misleading statements in Gov. ", The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. "Kids who identify as 'furries' get a litter box in the school bathroom. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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. If youve ever used the phrase Fake News now YOU can actually DO something about it! On Wednesday, Kraayenbrink said he misspoke and apologized for miscommunication. Im sort of surprised he didnt claim hes a victim of radical woke liberals and raise money. 13, 2022 7:00 am, Updated: May. 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. In the Dec. 21, 2021, YouTube video, which now has more than 91,000 views, a woman said during the Midland Public Schools board meeting that she was told there was a litter box in the bathroom of . 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. " We have too much time to worry about things And so, that's causing all this anxiety and decrease in mental health," he added. Leave them alone. Getty Images. 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