litter boxes in schools for furries maine
But, quite frankly, its offensive. to accommodate students who identify as cats, the Public Schools Branch says. But the vast majority of them still identify as humans, while sometimes adopting an animal-like persona and engaging in short-term roleplay, according to furries and experts, one of whom noted that there are no litter boxes at furry conventions. False rumors about litter boxes in classrooms have gained momentum in recent months. C. May 5, . Why One Principal Is Asking Her Staff to Do Less, We Gave ChatGPT 5 Common Teaching Tasks. Libs of TikTok noted as much in a subsequent tweet, but questioned why no one said so at the school board meeting, where some people applauded after Hansen spoke. At face value, this might seem like another example of folks on the right embracing yet another weird myth because it was circulated by Republicans who ought to know better. The four finalists for National Superintendent of the Year speak during a panel on Jan. 12 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Students arent achieving academically, socially, behaviorally, or emotionally. Many of the litter box rumours also fixate on cats. Furries, and what it means and what it is, and what some people are trying to make it out to be are two very different things, she said. The superintendent of the school claims the woman's story is "not true". 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. Prior to the litter box rumors, furries were seen as sexual deviantsan idea that was reinforced by popular media that emphasized the sensational over facts. Its no coincidence that Bunny, the only other furry who agreed to be interviewed for this story, is also transgender, Pratt said. Members of the furries fantasy subculture tell The Post theyre not wild about this weeks viral rumor that a Michigan school put a litter box in one of its bathrooms for the kids that identify as cats, as one harried parent put it. Whats most provocative about this hoax is how it turns on two key wedge issues for conservatives: educational accommodations and gender nonconformity, said Joan Donovan, research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University and co-author of Meme Wars: The Untold Story of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America.. The writer, not identified by name, posted a piece in October alleging confirmed reports of furries employed at Bath Iron Works. A Michigan superintendent had to refute a wild rumor that a litter box was provided in a school bathroom for students who identify as cats last week after a video of a parent raising the claim at a school board meeting spread on social media. By starting all of this disinformation, they can say, public schools arent the answer. As my colleague, Courtney Plante, says: For most folks, dehydration, lack of feeling or seeing anything, overheating and clumsiness are not conducive to sexual arousal. by Lia Russell May 19, 2022 A rumor about workers. 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. He also suggested that hed support incarcerating Minnesotas Democratic secretary of state over election-related conspiracy theories. 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. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. In the same way that cosplayers typically dont believe they are actually Spiderman, furries dont think they are their fursonas. Educators of color say its often another person seeing their potential and pushing themthat got them into leadership. Courtesy of AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Delusional, transphobic antics had quite the moment this past weekend, with a cohort of Michigan parents bravely speaking out against a problem that definitely exists: litter boxes for furries in a local school's bathrooms. Log in to join the discussion. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel. A Michigan school district has debunked a wild claim that a school provided litter boxes for students who identified as "furries" people who dress up as anthropomorphic animals. Last March, Nebraska state Sen. Bruce Bostelman, a Republican, spread the hoax during a debate on the floor of the legislature about a bill that would help school children who have behavioral problems. Bolduc ultimately lost his race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan. Some politicians issued warnings about children acting as cats during debates regarding school policies related to transgender and nonbinary youth. She says being a furry is a fun hobby or fandom. In January 2022, a Republican party official in Michigan shared the remarkable claim that in Midland public schools, officials were accommodating "furries" people who sometimes dress as. litter boxes in schools south dakota furries in schools bath iron works litter box kids identifying as furries litter boxes in school bathrooms north dakota schools Maine litter boxes Maine school litter boxes Maine school litter boxes Maine litter boxes in school Maine school litter boxes litter boxes in schools litter boxes furries Maine schools litter boxes furry schools litter boxes school school Maine schools litter boxes Schools litter boxes furries . However, Strike believes examples such as these and the kitty litter tale are so extreme as to be pretty easy to laugh off while still raising awareness of the group. She is a co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project/Furscience. In other words, if you removed all the sexual content, there would still be a furry fandom. They talk about why people like being furries. Use the form below to reset your password. The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading & the EdWeek Research Center, reporting from the Colorado Times Recorder. Thu., January 19, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. For many furries, the fandom is a way to build social connections with others. Every school district that has been named by those 20 politicians said either to NBC News or in public statements that these claims are untrue. Its worth emphasizing that NBC News did identify one school district that kept cat litter on campuses for student use, but its a Colorado district the same district where the Columbine massacre occurred that approved the litter as part of go buckets to be used in the event of a school shooting. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. 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 that allow transgender students to use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. Within a few months, similar rumors began to spread in the U.S., where they quickly became culture war fodder. Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock. However, most furries' fursonas are wild and mythical animals , such as foxes, wolves, and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. One school district was accused of putting cat litter boxes in school bathrooms for students who identify as "furries," but the superintendent of Michigan's Midland . This story has been shared 102,768 times. What are the top sellers at the Northeastern University bookstore this holiday season? The boss added, Let me be clear in this communication. Rare rock star interviews raw, complete and unedited in new Northeastern digital archive, Gutenberg Bible leaf and so much more. You dont have fetish scenes at the conventions, but some people might go back to their rooms for fun, he recently told The Post. The academy tweeted that political candidates are welcome to visit the campus before making claims about what occurs here.. 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. 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." That's when a letter sent recently to Renfrew-area newspapers claimed a local school was providing cat litter in a washroom for a student who identifies as a "furry," or animal, causing an . Talk about a health violation!! Its unclear exactly where the litter box hoax came from. Litter Boxes in Schools: How a Disruptive and Demeaning Hoax Frustrated School Leaders. Thats not a big leap from her natural optimism and cheerfulness, she said. For some, its about hiding their day-to-day selves, but for me its about expressing my true self.. While its commonly believed that sexuality plays a large role in the socializing of furry friends, Strike insisted that only a small number of his comrades engage in sexual acts while dressed in their outfits. 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 . There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools.. Login. 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. Similarly, furries might attend a furry convention, local meet-up or simply connect with like-others online, but they return to everyday life on Mondayjust like everyone else, Roberts says. Conventions typically include art exhibits, dances, vendors selling fursuits, accessories, books and T-shirts. I think this is a distracting technique to disparage public schools and to say creating inclusive environments shouldnt be happening, she says. At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats. 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. The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use them . And during a legislative hearing last month in Tennessee, two Republican state lawmakers discussed the growing crisis of public schools providing litter boxes for children who identify as cats, and claimed its happening across the state. There is a real subculture of people known as furries, a community of children and adults who roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. Create a free account to save your favorite articles, follow important topics, sign up for email newsletters, and more. Q&A with Mills College at Northeastern library director Janice Braun. They enjoy bonding with like-minded others over things they have in common. For the most part, they do not. People have sex and furries are people. We have furries and fuzzies in classrooms, Bolduc said at an Oct. 27 campaign event in North Hampton, N.H. They lick themselves, theyre cats. Roberts said that in her research career, shes never heard of or seen an instance of a furry wanting a litter box. Furrieslike so many others who have hobbiesengage in limited fantasy, Roberts writes in an email. This content is provided by our sponsor. I am hopeful that once these stories are debunked furries will become better known and people who are anthropomorphically inclined will see that theyre part of something, he said, explaining that, Stories like these [help future furries realize] theyre not alone and isolated., Michael Kaplan contributed to this report. 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. 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. These rumors put us at risk of being hurt or bullied.. Shes come to realize that this is who she is, she said. PA, offers box to stand on October 29, 2022; South Middleton School Board Appoints Lifetime District Resident as New Assistant to the Superintendent October 18, 2022; According to Furscience, a website run by a multidisciplinary team of scientists studying furry fandom, furry describes a diverse community of fans, artists, writers, gamers, and role players.. He describes the costumes as suits of armor, allowing people to express themselves while remaining somewhat anonymous. 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. Despite current slump of tech giants, strong growth seen in computer science job market for Khoury students, Holiday gifts already delivered, but rail strike would be catastrophic in other ways, Northeastern expert warns, New highly transmissible COVID-19 subvariant wont swamp US hospitals, Northeastern experts predict, How a new law requiring food labels to include sesame resulted in an explosion of products containingsesame, Study analyzes why Black people in Maine are more likely than white people to be arrested in traffic stops. The claim is a local school district is putting litter boxes in . Many of the litter box rumors also fixate on cats. You can be literally whatever you want., Her character, Pixil, has been described as bubbly, Pratt said. Dayna, 15, who lives in Canada, said she brings a mask and tail to school every day but only wears them during lunch and keeps them in her bag during class. IE 11 is not supported. With each hoax and rumor come more distractions for school administrators. Rogan did not name the school, and his publicist did not respond to a request for comment. Whats unfortunate is then youre answering questions or dealing with topics like [the hoax] as opposed to all the good things that are going on in the classrooms and what were really here to do, educate the students.. 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. I feel really good, and I feel like myself when Im wearing these things.. The furry community is constantly fending off misperceptions, though. Photo by Getty Images. In the U.S., some groups have the idea we are indoctrinating kids for all these extreme views, he says. She gave the example of a far-more mainstream Star Trek convention. Remember, fursuits are prohibitively expensive, custom made, hard to clean, hot and bulky. Beyond Republican politicians and officials, plenty of social media users have latched onto the rumor, most notably on Facebook and TikTok. Please wait for the page to reload. About 95 per cent of furries develop their own unique avatar-like character called a fursona. I like bringing them because its a way to show my creative outlet and something to talk to my friends about. Without merit at all, says Lydia Young, teaching professor for Northeasterns Graduate School of Education and faculty lead for the teacher licensure program. He plans to be there in June as Hellboy, wearing red face paint and horns. Fursonas can be a safe, functional way for furries to explore who they are as people, including their gender identity and sexual orientation. However, most furries fursonas are wild and mythical animals, such as foxes, wolves and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. Mr. Sharrow, the superintendent, citing a backdrop of this divisive/contentious world in which we currently find ourselves, urged parents to contact him if rumors like this surfaced again. 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. Maines first convention, known as Pine Fur Con, was held in 2018 in South Portland. It takes us away from what were working on and what were trying to accomplish on a daily basis, Powers said. The increasing political nature of the rumors prompted the Grand Forks school district in North Dakota to establish a Rumor Has It page on its website, which debunks false information about the district providing litter boxes for students and teaching critical race theory. That is the case for Bunny Hawkins, who says that without her costume, shes not completely expressing herself. It began as a large quest for self-discovery. The character you choose is known as your fursona. And according to Bunny, a fursona is sometimes just waiting to be acknowledged. The school district called that blogs story completely inaccurate and not something it would permit. When they dont like something, they hiss and get this, get this, theyre putting litter boxes [in schools] for them.. 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.. She even changed her name to reflect her inner identity. A woman named Lisa Hansen first raised the issue at a December 20 meeting of the Midland Public Schools Board, a . Like Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, team mascots. It is me, but more. Some politicians issued warnings about children acting as cats during debates regarding school policies related to transgender and nonbinary youth. Powers, the headmaster of Pinkerton Academy, said the rumors take resources away from academics and student learning and ultimately frustrate an already tired staff. What are atmospheric rivers? The school board members at the meeting did not respond to Ms. Hansens comments, but her remarks gained traction after Meshawn Maddock, a chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, shared a video of the school board meeting and the comments on Facebook on Thursday. 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. Mick Pratt, 35, of Westbrook designed her partial costume and her character. A couple of misunderstandings are that furries have fur fetishes or that they are psychologically dysfunctional, Plante wrote. Were his actions justified? 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