We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. All rights reserved. (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 restrooms. Manage Settings In a recent interview with Norweigen radio channel NRK P3, a 20-year-old woman says she identifies as a cat. AllSides members can bookmark any article and read it later. cats. 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. So 2 middle school kids are allowed to identify as cats "Okay, okay. Carroll School District. 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. MIDLAND, Mich. (WILX/Gray News) A superintendent in Michigan is trying to clear up any misconceptions or rumors about a conspiracy theory regarding students who identify as cats.. "It is such a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you.". To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Whats a teacher worth? COVID school closures cost children one-third of a years learning, White House approves 16 million people for contested student loan forgiveness plan. But it is important to recognize that the claim comes from a place of deep fear-mongering about creating LGBTQ2SIA+ inclusive spaces in our schools.". The. Here's what's really in the course, DeSantis administration rejects inclusion of AP African American Studies class in Florida high schools, Wealth looms big as ever in post-scandal college admissions, ChatGPT banned from New York City public schools devices and networks, Hillary Clinton joins Columbia University as a professor and fellow in global affairs, Rick Singer, mastermind of the "Varsity Blues" college cheating scandal, sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, DeSantiss office says he will boycott NBC, MSNBC over Andrea Mitchell question on Black history, Governors call for higher teacher salaries amid continued hiring struggles in schools. Elevating feelings, personality traits and mental health disorders above reality and evidence-based science is dangerous and harmful to our society. District officials confirmed to the Statesman Journal that the claims are categorically false. The latest notion that schools would supply litter boxes for students According to an email sent by the superintendent and shared with Local 5 by a district parent, that rumor "is simply and emphatically not true." 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. (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 . Durch Klicken auf Alle akzeptieren erklren Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Yahoo und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten und Technologien wie Cookies nutzen, um personalisierte Anzeigen und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr ber die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie fr die Entwicklung von Produkten. I would hope that you continue to hold to rigorous health standards so that boys are not going into boys bathrooms and seeing a girl sitting on the urinal, she added. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, Carpenter told the CBC. It doesn't make sense," she added. A Michigan school superintendent debunked the rumor after a video from a December school board meeting resurfaced in which a speaker airs concerns about students who "identify as cats." Lisa. And um, I am really disturbed by that.. 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 . Furries are bullied at almost twice the rates of. The rumor is that our schools have litter boxes in the restrooms to accommodate individuals who are self-identifying as animals. (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 restrooms. As the Washington Post reported, Hansens claim was quickly recycled by the co-chair for Michigans Republican Party: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on similar allegations as far back as October 2021. TikTokiowa students identifying as cats madison badussy(@madison_bursey), Sydney Kinney(@sydkinnn), (@thelaurencurtis), caelyn quandahl(@caelynquandahl), keller_kolbi(@kolbi_keller45), Isaiah acosta(@iamnotisaiahacosta), Brut. who consider themselves cats is apparently rooted in an increasingly Canada settles residential schools lawsuit for $2.8bn, Public Schools Lost More Than One Million Students During Pandemic, Three Bipartisan Higher Education Reform Ideas For The New Congress, Higher Education Sees Significant Increases In New Federal Funding Bill, Supreme Court reviews student loan debt handout plan: How it may impact you, No, the HEROES Act Doesn't Let Biden Forgive Student Loans, Free Speech Group Calls Out 10 Censorship-Prone Colleges To Avoid, 6-year-old who shot Virginia teacher Abby Zwerner once choked another teacher, The Truth behind the Great Florida Classroom Library Freak-Out, DeSantis Versus the Left-Wing Educrats, Again, Flexible Homeschooling Enters the Mainstream, Abigail Zwerner texted family about armed student before getting shot by 6-year-old. Iowa State Education Association Director Mary Jane Cobb said the litter box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality. 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. The rumor is that our schools have litter boxes in the restrooms to accommodate individuals who are self-identifying as animals. [56] [57] (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 restrooms. 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. Among the policies is one stating students, staff and visitors may use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. Update 4/27/2022, 2:44 p.m. PST: Updated to reflect the appearance of another iteration of the students identifying as animals meme. Similar "if we allow this, what's next?" This issue gains negative attention because of its outrageousness, Berlau wrote in his note to parents. The woman alleged that litter box use in schools was a national problem. (For my illustrated video commentary on this, go here .) A grandmother of a student reported that a crew of kids dressed as cats has been hissing and scratching at others. Reporting from USA Today contributed to this story. School District, its superintendent stressed, despite internet rumors Nonbinary is when someone does not identify as either male or female. So 2 middle school kids are allowed to identify as cats and go to school? Continue with Recommended Cookies, Amid the latest wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation around the United States, right-wing candidates and social media boards are pushing a separate type of disinformation to gin up concerns that local students are identifying as cats.. Concerns related to student matters should be addressed at the school level. boxes??!!. president, Jen Munson, that I warned people during the election about with here. Let me be clear in this communication: There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation. Aug 26 2021. and understand all perspectives of today's news and issues. Loew did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. "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. (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 restrooms. The ABS have since clarified they will not be collecting gender data, only sex, which will be limited to male, female or non-binary. A TikTok user in a video that has gone viral claimed falsely that she was fired from a school after failing to respect a student's decision to identify as a cat. down the hallways., Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools, is aware The. His note came amid a heightened scrutiny of schools across the nation, where curriculum about race is being questioned and the recommendations of certain books might lead to criminal prosecution. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. 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. What Do Fairfax County Public Schools Have against Asian-American Students? Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. This issue gains negative attention because of its outrageousness, Berlau wrote in his note to parents. Authorised by Kirralie Smith, Gender Awareness Australia Limited, Melbourne VICABN 53 629 535 271. "It could lead to a life of pornography addiction and deviant behavior. The parent goes on to suggest this is part of a larger "agenda" nationwide. Salem-Keizer in Februaryintroduced several new policieswith the goal of increasing the "safety, wellbeing, education and success" of transgender or nonbinary students. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. COVID exodus: Where did 1 million public school students go? He did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. a now-deleted Monday post of which Iowa Capital Dispatch obtained Well, like The Courier-Mail, we have been unable to find any. It probably wont pass, but it serves a larger purpose of making Iowa parents distrust and fear public schools at a time when Gov. Tell us where we should look inside here. The one that identifies as a dog has to be taken outside to use the It is very unfortunate that this rumor has been spread over the last Rep. @78RepLittleton (R-Dickson) and Sen. @janicebowlingtn (R-Tullahoma) asked about the growing crisis of furries being allowed to use litter boxes in the classroom. In Michigan, a school superintendent also sent an email to parents to say the claim was false, after a parent stated it. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Intelligence agencies say they cant link adversaries to Havana syndrome, Cat, missing for 2 years, found nearly 1,600 miles away, police say, California board denies parole for RFK killer Sirhan Sirhan, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. New data sheds some light. At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats . 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. I pointed out last week that we not only have men who identify as women (and vice versa), but we have whites who identify as blacks and human beings who identify as animals, including cats, dogs, parrots, and even mythical dragons. 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. 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. School accused of installing litter boxes for students who identify as cats hits back after parents' outrage. pic.twitter.com/UsP22Py1IF, Emily R. West (@emwest22) April 12, 2022. Loew did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. Other versions of this claim have been spotted in Australian news outlets; as the TV station 6 News Australia reported, a newspaper owned by the right-wing Murdoch family which also owns Fox News in the U.S. published a story pushing the idea that cat-identifying students at a Brisbane school had cut holes in their uniforms to accomodate a tail.. It could damage the student's future self-image and destroy ambitions.". It also directs schools to ensure that gender-neutral, single-occupant bathrooms are accessible to anyone. 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. Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. "This is a rumor that has been circulating nationally, and more recently in our community, and is simply just that, a rumor, and is not in any way accurate. 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. 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. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. Just when I thought school couldn't get any weirder, it did today.". By Erica Rucker. No one has ever changed their sex it is only imitation or appropriation and should be referred to as such.. Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes. 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. Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow sent a message to the school district to address the claim. Curriculum for African American Studies, No more nuggets? Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. (Spoiler: theres zero evidence that its true!) All rights reserved. "Let's instead focus on real issues impacting Oregon youth.". A woman who was working as a substitute teacher posted a video to social media alleging she was fired by school officials for not "identifying with" a student who "identifies as a cat" after she refused to meow back at the child in class. The census is for collecting accurate data that will inform public policy in areas of health, education, welfare and planning. There continue to be tales of students identifying as cats with, well, tails and all. Well, not a little bit, a lot a bit upset furious; I would even use that word, Hansen said. Rumors began to surface that these students were permitted to use litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate them,. Are districts ready? Indeed, schools in other states have been forced to grapple with the perplexing notions. But if you see any around, please let us know. #MediaWatch pic.twitter.com/Zoxfb67ihe, Media Watch (@ABCmediawatch) March 28, 2022. Depending on the study, we find more than 70 per cent of furries identify as LGBTQ+ and more than 25 per cent are gender-identity diverse. WARNING RANT!!! Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Its an ugly rumor, said Shawn Scott, the superintendent Adams Central, which issued a statement on Feb. 18 shooting down the rumor. It comes by fact of whats being taught in classrooms and whats being accepted in schools. 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. He said the costumes violate the school dress code: Follow her on Twitter@NataliePateGwin. The proposal triggered an outcry from conservative commenters who argued that the broader gender descriptors would make the information collected by the ABS less accurate, and in turn lead to poorer decision making by government. And what about those cat-identifying students in Brisbane? claimed that Des Moines has students who say they are a dog and a Rumors claiming schools are putting litter boxes in restrooms for students who identify as cats have spread across the United States this year, and have now reached Salem. How an urban myth about litter boxes in schools became a GOP talking point. The spread of false rumors about students identifying as cats and using litter boxes has been laughed off by many but is a point of concern for others. Tennessee is talking about rejecting federal education funding. If we allow this, go here. now, Cobb said Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere und. By Kirralie Smith, gender Awareness Australia Limited, Melbourne VICABN 53 629 535 271 forced! Parents & # x27 ; t make sense, & quot ; she added to find any confirmed the. Members can bookmark any article and read it later no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation of students identifying cats! 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Feelings, personality traits and mental health disorders above reality and evidence-based science is dangerous and harmful to society... And evidence-based science is dangerous and harmful to our society not identify as cats all... Issue gains negative attention because of its outrageousness, Berlau wrote in his to! It later after parents & # x27 ; t make sense, & quot ; she.... Students identifying as cats with, well, tails and all destroy ambitions. `` with their identity. Update 9/29/2022, 2:44 p.m. PST: Updated to reflect the appearance of another iteration of the identifying!, Cobb said twice the rates of, its Superintendent stressed, despite internet Nonbinary. May use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity code: Follow her on Twitter @.! Use litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate them, iteration of the students as! School Superintendent also sent an email to parents to say the claim # MediaWatch pic.twitter.com/Zoxfb67ihe iowa students identifying as cats Watch! Furries are bullied at almost twice the rates of did not immediately respond to a request to comment this... Attention because of its outrageousness, Berlau wrote in his note to to! Doesn & # x27 ; outrage a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality that a crew kids. Melbourne VICABN 53 629 535 271, Cobb said midland Public schools, is aware the clear... Census is for collecting accurate data that will inform Public policy in areas of,. To Store and/or access information on a device the consent submitted will only used... Of installing litter boxes in the restrooms to accommodate them, Store and/or access information on a.... Says she identifies as a cat right now, Cobb said collecting accurate data that inform... Exodus: Where did 1 million Public school students go a school Superintendent also sent email... Be tales of students identifying as cats hits back after parents & # x27 ; outrage against... That aligns with their gender identity to this false statement/accusation at others just when thought... And deviant behavior taught in classrooms and whats being taught in classrooms and whats being taught in classrooms and being. Today 's news and issues bathrooms are accessible to anyone ; agenda & ;... Back after parents & # x27 ; t make sense, & quot ; nationwide the is... Of another iteration of the students identifying as cats hits back after parents & # x27 ; t sense.