cats. MEADE COUNTY, Ky. 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. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow sent a message to the school district to address the claim. (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 . Yet it seems the rumor has reached Oregon, with recent gossip asserting Salem-Keizer Public Schools officials approved a student's request to self-identify as a cat and allowed litter boxes in the restrooms of Sprague High School. theco-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, Oregon trans student's advice to LGBTQ youth, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A hair-raising group of youth are apparently terrorizing a Meade County high school. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. School lunch goes farm-to-table for some, Floridas rejection of Black history course stirs debate, Florida says AP class teaches critical race theory. It is very unfortunate that this rumor has been spread over the last several weeks.. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. or identifying as a cat or any other animal, Superintendent Casey This group of fussy felines has apparently made life difficult for this grandmother's grandchildren. & Now some schools are also allowing litter boxes??!!. Aug 26 2021. Loew did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. down the hallways., Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools, is aware Media Watch host Paul Barry also pointed out that Lang herself wrote that the school had not been made aware of any students identifying as cats. (@brutamerica . I heard that at least one of our schools in our town has a, in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats. Additionally, this summer, a group of parents and community members unsuccessfully pushedfor the removal of "Gender Queer: A Memoir," a graphic novel by Maia Kobabe that discusses topics such as asexuality and being nonbinary, from Salem-Keizer high school libraries. Clark's buzzer-beating three sends #6 Iowa past #2 Indiana 86-85. But unlike his American counterparts thus far, PSB district director Norbert Carpenter more forcefully described the nature of this type of rhetoric. Rumors began to surface that these students were permitted to use litter boxes in bathrooms to. (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 . All rights reserved. The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up at a . 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. But if you see any around, please let us know. #MediaWatch pic.twitter.com/Zoxfb67ihe, Media Watch (@ABCmediawatch) March 28, 2022. That is not healthy for anybody in a lot of capacities.. A grandmother of a student reported that a crew of kids dressed as cats has been hissing and scratching at others. There are no litter boxes in the restrooms of the Carroll Community School District, its superintendent stressed, despite internet rumors that some schools are installing them for children who identify as cats. The New York Times, USA TODAY, Politifact, Reuters and Snopes, among other publications, wrote articles confirming the claims were unfounded. Update 9/29/2022, 2:44 p.m. PST: Updated to reflect remarks by Tennessee state Sen. Janice Bowling conflating the false claim with transphobic disinformation. All rights reserved. Curriculum for African American Studies, No more nuggets? It doesn't make sense," she added. 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. Among the policies is one stating students, staff and visitors may use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. The Public Schools Branch supports all students and their personal expressions, however, such conjecture is not helpful and contravenes our Safe and Caring Learning Environment Policy. Iowa State Education Association Director Mary Jane Cobb said the litter box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality. "It could lead to a life of pornography addiction and deviant behavior. and go to school? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Another iteration appeared online on April 27 2022, as a graphic made up to resemble a memo advising educators at Kokomo High School about students wanting to be recognized as Otherkin people who identify as non-human. In a recent example, reporter Emily R. West for WTVF-TV in Nashville noted on Twitter on April 12 2022 that local school board candidate William Holladay had promoted a version of this claim, saying on social media that we now have schools here in the USA putting litter boxes in classrooms because some students identify as cats, and teachers being disciplined because they didnt meow when trying to communicate with them: This morning it was brought to my attention that a candidate for the Williamson County School Board is claiming that students in this country are having litter boxes placed in classrooms and speaking through meows. (For my illustrated video commentary on this, go here .) After being assured that it was not happening, Bowling the subcommittee co-chair further made reference to the rumor while adding in a transphobic smear. "I'm a sub, and the most important we do is take roll, so the school gets paid. Carroll School District. Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. A recent story out of small-town Iowa was getting lots of twitters and titters: The Carroll school superintendent sent out an email to parents to knock down a false rumor that there were litter boxes in school bathrooms to accommodate students who "identify" as cats. 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The fake memo states that litter boxes will be provided in some restrooms, and that Otherkin students will be provided 5 extra minutes between periods to allow free movement on all fours: In reality, the graphic was posted by a satirical website set up to resemble actual local announcements. The census is for collecting accurate data that will inform public policy in areas of health, education, welfare and planning. Concerns related to student matters should be addressed at the school level. CARROLL, Iowa There are no litter boxes in the restrooms of the Carroll Community By Erica Rucker. Litter box rumor control isnt one of them.. "It's sad were at a point in our culture that a rumor like this even needs to be addressed," said Blair Stenvick, the communications manager for the Portland-based nonprofit Basic Rights Oregon. Two curious stories relating to cats have been circulating online this week: In the first story, a substitute teacher claims she was fired because she refused to meow back to a student who "identifies as a cat," while parents in a Michigan school district were infuriated by a rumor that the district was providing litter boxes to cat-identified Transgender people still face barriers to competent health care. Superintendent debunks claims of litter boxes in schools for students who identify as cats, Intelligence agencies say they cant link adversaries to Havana syndrome, Cat, missing for 2 years, found nearly 1,600 miles away, police say, Ottumwa man accused of shooting sleeping wife with a crossbow pleads guilty, California board denies parole for RFK killer Sirhan Sirhan. "The students are told they can't wear hats or Budweiser shirts in school, but they can wear cat ears, cat tails, masks, leashes. "There is, of course, absolutely no truth to this claim, in Salem or anywhere else. Chicago mayoral candidates promise to raise wages for early childhood educators, but differ on how to do it. Many of these assertions claim that schools have or are in the process of having litter boxes placed in schools. pic.twitter.com/fNxye7LPBL Left of Center MI (@leftofcentermi) January 20, 2022 Is the Damaged Russian Warship Moskva the Snake Island Ship. Published: Feb. 11, 2022 at 1:39 PM PST. Its an ugly rumor, said Shawn Scott, the superintendent Adams Central, which issued a statement on Feb. 18 shooting down the rumor. Meshawn Maddock,theco-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, shared the unsubstantiated commenton Facebook. In February 2022, the Carroll Community School District in Iowa was accused of providing litter boxes for those who identified as cats. According to the U.S. Trans Survey, conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, a third of trans people have faced discrimination from a health care provider. Cisgender refers to individuals who identify with the gender assigned to them at birth. Join AllSides to read, share I heard that at least one of our schools in our town has in one of the unisex bathrooms, a litter box for the kids that identify as cats, a concerned parent claimed during a Board of Education meeting in December. The. 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What Do Fairfax County Public Schools Have against Asian-American Students? 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. Rumors began to surface that these students were permitted to use litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate them,. There continue to be tales of students identifying as cats with, well, tails and all. LGBTQ2SIA+ is the acronym used by Basic Rights Oregon and other advocacy groups to describe those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, two-spirit, intersexual, asexual and/or other varying genders and sexualities. Iowa lawmakers are also considering a requirement to surveil teachers with cameras. Sign up to receive email updates about our work and how you can support Binary. After school officials in Carroll County, Iowa had to release their own statementdebunking and rebuking furry rumors in February 2022, Iowa Capital Dispatch editor Kathie Obradovich warned readers that besides being used to scare parents, these claims were reminiscent of the exact same slippery slope fearmongering that accompanied the legalization of marriage equality. The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up at a . Save this article by becoming a member today! "Staff members are not encouraging or accommodating anyone behaving or identifying as a cat or any other animal," Superintendent Casey Berlau said Tuesday in a note to parents in the western. TikTok False: The claim is. We have also talked with students from multiple districts who confirm this is actually a real thing. Radical gender activism has been largely unchallenged and now we are faced with the farcical situation of children claiming to be cats, in addition to the claim that a person can change their sex. WARNING RANT!!! He did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. I've got to rant for a minute," the teacher says in a short TikTok video. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools," he wrote. A local publication, The Tennessee Holler, also reported on the post (which is no longer visible on Holladays Facebook page), adding that commenters debunked his allegation: UPDATE: Doc Holladay, the Williamson County School Board @WCSedu candidate who called for a librarians arrest, perpetuates the LIE that students are given litter boxes and identifying as cats, teachers punished for not meowing to them, (Commenters fact-checked him) pic.twitter.com/EqI1TECfqR, The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 12, 2022. Litter box rumor control isnt one of them.. arguments have been used throughout history, such as comparing interracial and homosexual relationships to bestiality and pedophilia. Manage Settings pic.twitter.com/UsP22Py1IF, Emily R. West (@emwest22) April 12, 2022. Similar "if we allow this, what's next?" You can unsubscribe at any time. president, Jen Munson, that I warned people during the election about Indeed, schools in other states have been forced to grapple with the perplexing notions. At a Midland public schools meeting, a parent brings up "furries," saying she "heard" at least one school in the district is providing a litter box for kids that identify as cats. LOUISVILLE, Ky. 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The latest notion that schools would supply litter boxes for students This is simply and emphatically not true, Burlau wrote. Send comments, questions and tips to her atnpate@statesmanjournal.comor 503-399-6745. As WTVF-TV reporter Phil Williams noted on Twitter, the false issue also surfaced during a September 27 2022 meeting of the Tennessee legislatures Education, Health and General Welfare joint subcommittee, as state Sen. Janice Bowling (R) and state Rep. Mary Littleton (R) both invoked it, and as with the rest of the lawmakers, they brought it up without offering any corroborating evidence: Yes, this happened in the Tennessee legislature this week! 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. "Okay, okay. Update 8/23/2022, 2:44 p.m. PST: Updated to reflect media outlets in Australia publishing their own versions of this claim, as well as debunking by local outlets. This whole furry thing has just got me. All rights reserved. claimed that Des Moines has students who say they are a dog and a Reading, writing, and paychecks. Tennessee is talking about rejecting federal education funding. Loew did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. "Sadly, the spread of hateful disinformation targeting queer and trans folks is nothing new, and these tactics make our schools and communities less safe," they said. Inthe 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 wasa litter box in the bathroom of at least one local school for students who self-identify as cat "furries" people who adopt and identify with an anthropomorphized animal persona, often within online or local communities of furries. An Iowa newspaper reported some students in a small town identified as cats. Elevating feelings, personality traits and mental health disorders above reality and evidence-based science is dangerous and harmful to our society. 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