You can also support us on PayPal at. 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 . One Iowa man has been going viral for his exceptional bar. This outrageous notion of schools trying to "accommodate" students who are said to identify as animals, is a far stretch. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Iowas Most Boring Town Is A Hilarious Coincidence, Heres What 1 Year Of Working On K92.3 and Moving To Iowa Looks Like [PHOTOS], 5 Tips That May Help With Spring Allergies In Your Iowa Home, Chicago Man Convicted In Cruel Shooting of Iowa Deputy, Waterloos Lost Island Parks Announce Opening Dates. In Iowa, an unsourced, anonymous reportclaimed that school boards were considering placing litter boxes in the bathrooms, while a Canadian public school director took to the mediato connect similar rumors in his []. Bathrooms! Disgusting, but not life-threatening. This isnt about mocking transgender people. And the school was allowing kitty litter to be placed in the classroom or bathroom or both. Bostelman made the comments during a debate over a bill, introduced by Gretna Sen. Jen Day, that would require schools to have "points of contact" for students with behavioral health issues, I was in every school today," Lewton said Thursday. 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. 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. to accommodate students who identify as cats, the Public Schools Branch says. No board members responded to the claim on the day of the meeting, but Sharrow's statement on Thursday dismissed the claim entirely. at Iowa-Standard-2018 or through the mail at: PO Box 112 Sioux Center, IA 51250 A couple of weeks ago we received an email. 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. 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. 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. School litter box fever will not die in Iowa. "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.". The personalized animal identity of a furry is known as their fursona, the portmanteau of furry and persona. 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 . No, furries don't get litter boxes in school bathrooms | Is This Legit? For other inquiries, Contact Us. Actually, I was listening to Simon Conway talk about this today, and it apparently IS going on in IOWA schools. 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 dress up days and kids bring stuffed animals to school. litter boxes in schools for furries maine. May. 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You will begin to receive our Daily Opinion updates and our topical Pints & Politics newsletter. 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 . Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. All rights reserved. Dare I say that it is absolutely bonkers! Published Jan 24, 2022. So he wasnt wearing his school board hat at the meeting. At the school sit-down, concerned parent Lisa Hansen said she was really disturbed after reportedly learning from a student that at least one of our schools in our town, in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats. I want to weigh in here, because I am a Furry. They are acting just as described in this article. Litter boxes will not be put in schools on P.E.I. 0:45. It looks like it isnt just happening in Iowa, thankfullyI guess? Her statement went viral on social media and thrust this rumor into the national spotlight. We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. The superintendent of the school claims the woman's story is "not true". Caption: Rumors are going around in . Its more of a role-playing type thing that some people do to express themselves in a different way. Supposedly, a female student was identifying as a cat. Crow laughed. 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. Elections: What EVSC school board candidates say about diversity, inclusion and masks. [] More people are discussing students identifying as cats in schools []. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. 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February 14, 2022 8:00 am. Waukee taxpayers voice displeasure at heated meeting. This is saying that kids who; Identify as cats, meow in class, and demand litter-boxes in the bathrooms, arent normal. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. May 31DICKINSON In schools across the United States, a growing trend of students identifying themselves with the "fursona" of cats, dogs, ponies and more. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Well, kind of. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. [] reports have popped up elsewhere. Please consider a one-time sign of support or becoming a monthly supporter at $5, $10/month - whatever you think we're worth! But as far as as I know, I haven't (heard anything). 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. Supposedly, a female student was identifying as a cat. Nothing wrong with being Transphobic . There never will be," said EVSC Superintendent David Smith, after Monday's board meeting. European cat, Felis catus, brown tabby kitten in litter tray. Leave them alone. 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. Kathie Obradovich Iowa Capital Dispatch. 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 . Im just sayin. 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. Lewton noted that each school within the Dickinson Public Schools district has its own handbook that lays out dress code. 13, 2022 4:31 pm. All being a Furry means is that you enjoy anthropomorphic characters. Lisa Hansen speaks to the Midland Public Schools Board of Education at its Dec. 20, 2021, meeting. Fourth, they need to be kicked out of school for pets are not allowed in school unless used to assist handicapped individuals as a service animal. You can also support us on PayPal at. One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. I'm a real-life furry and my lifestyle is no dirty 'cat litter box' joke. There are an estimated 250,000 people in the US who . Some furries even only answer questions with animal sounds. Its like the slippery-slope arguments that we heard back when Iowa legalized same-sex marriage: If we allow this, next well have to condone marriages involving pedophilia. Feb 14, 2022 Updated Mar 22, 2022. A furry. 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. These furries, as were told they are called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students. "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. 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. We did not find any credible news reports that support the claim. Frankly, with all the unbelievably dopey Tik-Tok challenges out there, its not out of the realm of possibility that some kid, somewhere, has decided to try to emulate a cat to that extreme. If you have people who act like and believe they ARE animals, that is NOT a Furry. Go to the bathroom in a toilet and flush. She previously covered the Iowa Statehouse for 10 years for newspapers in Davenport, Waterloo, Sioux City, Mason City and Muscatine. And lots of people of all ages actually do engage in fantasy role-playing as entertainment. Initially, we laughed too. While there are no chickens in this tiny house, you can still have some fun in this cozy space in Fayette. All these harmful, spiteful tactics targeting Iowans and their rights for a political payday carry an unmistakable stench. There is nothing safe and healthy about this. Jim Baize, who is Ruth Baize's husband, compared furries to gender identity in comments of his own on Monday. Once you see through this political cat-and-mouse game, the litter box story just seems doggone sad. And oh, by the way, transgender identities are just as silly as this. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. During his transphobic chat with conservative politician Tulsi Gabbard, right-leaning podcaster Joe Rogan repeated a far-right lie about student "furries" using litter boxes in public schools. And we should reject the request of a transgender student to use the restroom that matches their gender identity, in the same way that we should reject a student request to use a litter box., Furries dont identify as cats or other animals, Crow said. You have entered an incorrect email address! 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. "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. Im entitled not to accept mental illness as a real thing. Lawmakers are debating all kinds of extreme legislation, like Sen. Jake Chapmans school porn bill that threatens teachers with prison. They're not super realistic outfits, so they mostly look like the kind of suit a mascot would wear. Its a slippery slope covered with culture war slime. Nati Harnik AP. I heard from the same reliable sources that theres this one high school where a couple of girls identify as horses. A "furry" is someone who role-plays or identifies as an animal, or an animal character with human-like characteristics. We will need to lock them up and feed them the same food other cats and dogs are fed. 1, 2023 6:00 am1d ago, Karen Carlton Letters to the Editor Feb. 27, 2023 6:00 am5d ago, Todd Dorman Staff Columnists Feb. 26, 2023 6:00 am5d ago, Staff Columnists Feb. 26, 2023 6:00 am4d ago, Staff Columnists Feb. 26, 2023 6:00 am5d ago, David V. Wendell Guest Columnists Feb. 27, 2023 6:00 am5d ago, Guest Columnists Feb. 27, 2023 6:00 am5d ago, Guest Columnists Feb. 26, 2023 6:00 am5d ago, Bloomberg Federal Government 32m ago32m ago. A furry is someone who role-plays or identifies as an animal, or an animal character with human-like characteristics. I very specifically said I am here speaking on my own behalf, Rollinger said. " We have too much time to worry about things And so, that's causing all this anxiety and decrease in mental health," he added. 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. Fargo School Board member Jennifer Benson told The Forum that a student informed her some schools have litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as furries. Go to the bathroom in a toilet and flush. Using catlike political reflexes, Kraayenbrink tried to scratch some litter to cover up the mess he made. If youve ever used the phrase Fake News now YOU can actually DO something about it! The specific claim that schools are providing litter boxes for students who identify as cats or furries seemed to first emerge in 2021, targeting the Prince Edward Island's Public Schools Branch . We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! Or bestiality. 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. And the school was allowing kitty litter to be placed in the classroom or bathroom or both. Consider the message it sends transgender kids. A reaction from another user calling for . 'A rising usage of furry refers to people who have a keen interest in or even dress up as, anthropomorphic animal characters, like those often seen in comics, games, and cartoons. In Michigan, a school superintendent alsosent an email to parents to say the claim was false, after a parent stated it publicly at a school board meeting that garnered more than 80,000 views on YouTube. Answering the Left: But do you know any gay people? 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. Iowa is being plagued by multiple cases of what Im diagnosing as a strain of cat scratch fever. , inclusion and masks dress code social media and thrust this rumor into the spotlight! Post calling for school districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they animals. Some more investigation, '' she added scratch some litter to cover up the mess he made anthropomorphic characters,... Districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are called, are also to... From the same food other cats and dogs are fed more people are discussing students identifying as real! Happening in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are called, are also to... Her statement went viral on social media and thrust this rumor into the spotlight... 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