The money was awarded to communities across 47 states to pay for more staff, training, equipment and outreach to voters on how to safely cast their ballots. Fear of 'furries' in school grips conservative parents fooled by absurd Facebook rumors, schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms, State senator mocked over claim students now identifying as 'furries' and demanding litter boxes - Alternet.org , GOP lawmakers are spreading false ridiculous 'furries' claim - Alternet.org , Furry Panic Is the Latest Dumb GOP Attack on Public Schools , Making a Safe Place for Students Who Identify as Furries, Therians , Let's Talk About Furries - Safer Schools , Teen Furries Reportedly Taking Over Kentucky High School . Another topic many parents would like addressed are furries, a speaker said. Its most well-known cause was the decades long defense of Joe Scheidler, founder of the Pro-Life Action League, against the National Organization for Women. (It is unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication, his email to parents began.). I was uh. She's even more frustrated that school administrators got caught up in the politics. In early November, an aspiring educator took to Reddits r/teachers board to relay rumors about students in her hometown demanding litter boxes in school. Theyre demonizing minorities by proxy, with a target behind the target, OFurr wrote in a recent blog post. The briefing included Giuliani; John Eastman, the attorney behind the theory that Vice President Mike Pence could reject the Electoral College results; White House trade adviser Peter Navarro; economist John Lott; and Trump, who reportedly told the lawmakers they were more important than the courts and had the power to change the results. School board meetings, sometimes attended by members of far-right paramilitary groups, have become theaters for culture wars, with GOP figures like Maddock calling on parents to TAKE BACK our schools from the specter of liberal educators. These "furries," as we're told they are called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students. Unless theyre actually harming their classmates, I see no cause for panic. Furries make a convenient target for people looking to lash out at marginalized identities, particularly the LGBT community, which has a higher-than-average representation among furries, OFurr noted. An examination by ProPublica of Thomas Mores 2020 election-law initiative shows it helped fuel skepticism over President Joe Bidens victory and the fairness of elections in numerous states. Republican retracts false claim schools placing litter boxes for 'furry' students Nebraska's Bruce Bostelman apologises for repeating rumor that schools accommodating children who. In Pennsylvania, Maine, Michigan, and Iowa in recent months, school board meetings have been disrupted by allegations that educators are giving special treatment to furry students. This is a very stereotypical belief about the furry community, and it still baffles me to think that this is a widely . Parent heroes will TAKE BACK our schools., Midland Public Schools do not provide litter boxesunisex or otherwise. Representatives of Westfield Washington Schools and the districts in. After a closed session to discuss the letter, Judd said she didnt see a problem going ahead. Ladapo baselessly alleges that increased reporting must point to safety problems with covid vaccines. Both Dunn and Joe Strike, another furry historian and community member . The organization also considers its efforts to ban ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin a success. The superintendent tells WLKY the. It also lists a few duties that Stevens will have, such as managing special taxing districts, but then says generally the Recorder shall be responsible for all other election functions.. OFurr, who has traced the origins of the litter box urban legend, dates the hoax to at least 2008. ", An open records request shows Edwards is among at least two dozen parents who've written the district over the last eight months. I tried to help them talk to the police, he said in an emailed response. The furry movement is disproportionately LGBT and neurodiverse, yet we see that furries are thriving in this community, Roberts said. But these persistent legal challenges mirror the approaches used in the fight over abortion: Never stop pushing for the cause in court or legislatures. The rumor that furries people who have an interest in anthropomorphic animal characters and sometimes dress up as them used litter boxes in the school district, which is about two hours. Kids who identify as furries get a litter box in the school bathroom, Maddock wrote on Facebook. In one email, from August Superintendent Tracy Dorland asks, "Who is going to respond to the emails about furries? 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 the bogus rumors about furry infiltration into the public education system have only grown from there. Piano Sign Up. A furry might draw himself as a cartoon tiger, or dress up as a dragon at a convention for fellow. Kline said the fees were for the full length of the contract and helped cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses, including payments to contractors he employed. The students are told they cant wear hats or Budweiser shirts in school, but they can wear cat ears, cat tails, masks, leashes. Last week, Dr. Joseph Ladapo issued a meaningless "health alert" to the people of Florida about mRNA covid vaccines. Kline was a client. And I am really disturbed by that., Michigan GOP co-chair Meshawn Maddock soon amplified the cat scat claims. Plenty of names associated with Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 results are well known by now. A Nebraska state senator, Bruce Bostelman, last month warned of an alarming new variety of deviance making its way into the state's schools. Anyone can report that they experienced any symptoms after receiving a vaccine. Roberts, the furry expert, said the furry community can act as a safe home for young people who might be jeopardized by efforts to ban school books about autism and LGBT issues (like Central York schools did earlier this year). This is not the first time Ladapo has misused surveillance data to push governor Ron DeSantis's antivax agenda. A faculty committee convened by Ladapo's peers at the University of Florida condemned him for "careless, irregular, or contentious research practices.". What we shouldn't be promoting is delusion and the idea that personal desire trumps education. We have a corporate oligarchy thats trying to control this election process, Kline alleged on former Trump strategist Steve Bannons War Room podcast on Dec. 14, 2020. Masthead | So, of course, furries should be allowed into school because there is nothing necessarily wrong with it. The grandmother said a petition to end the practice was created by students and has more than 1,000 signatures. But efforts to cast anthropomorphized animals as a niche issue are misguided, anyway. But that doesnt mean he agrees with the decision, he said. It was chosen in 2019 as the School of the Year by the Maine Environmental Education Association for its well-regarded learning opportunities for students. Make a one-time contribution to Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism kneels before a bigger God. We need your support in this difficult time. Not content with panicking about the teaching of critical race theory, conservative parents throughout America have now been gripped with fear about their schools trying to accommodate students who dress up in animal costumes. One month after Jefferson County school administrators denied that kids were dressing up as so-called "furries" at school, CBS News Colorado has obtained emails showing the district was aware of the issue and yet denied it was happening. The Daily Beast reports that in "Pennsylvania, Maine, Michigan, and Iowa in recent months, school board meetings have been disrupted by allegations that educators are giving special treatment to furry students.". After receiving complaints unconnected to the Amistad Project, the Federal Election Commission reviewed the grants last year and determined that Zuckerberg did not violate campaign finance laws, concluding that the grants were awarded to many jurisdictions and did not suggest any partisan motive. That does not mean I was acting on behalf of Amistad, I wasnt.. 3 Min Read. Then came Trump and an obsession among his followers with proving that he lost due to election fraud, and a new mission emerged. Furries are people who have an active interest in animal characters with human characteristics. The districts superintendent told the station that a small number of students had violated the dress code by wearing cat ears or tails, and that the situation was under control. / CBS Colorado. At the meeting, parent Lisa Hansen said she was "a lot of . He said for months schools and the PSB have received phone calls and emails about the issue. In 2021 and 2022, various American conservative and far-right politicians and media personalities promoted the hoax in response to . They targeted cities, counties, county commissioners, mayors, governors and election officials for legal action, focusing on key states Trump lost in 2020 Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Minnesota. In denying the request, Boasberg ruled that it relied on a fundamental and obvious misreading of the Constitution., It would be risible were its target not so grave: the undermining of a democratic election for President of the United States.. Sharon E. Roberts, . He insisted that no 'litter box accommodation' had been made for any students identifying as furries. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider it. Since taking office in July, he said, the committee has advised him on the appointment of an interim elections director and helped him make decisions about the location of drop boxes. But it lumped Kline in the same bucket as Giuliani, Powell, Eastman and Trump attorney Cleta Mitchell saying that in response to Congressional subpoenas, none offered any proof of widespread fraud. an E! As director of the election project for Thomas More, Kline couldnt argue the legal cases himself because of his ethical violations in Kansas, but he oversaw investigators and analysts, hired litigators and devised strategies. The letter asked for at least 10 days. ", Edwards says she wants school administrations to issue a public statement that sets the record straight, saying parents and kids deserve that, "I will continue making waves, I will continue going to his principal, I will continue contacting Jefferson County until they acknowledge that it's happening and they need to address it.". If you actually look at whos doing this, at some of the political groups getting involved, theyre all far right., The rumors simmered for months in districts like Central York last year, where a concerned parents Facebook group promoted fears that furries could be in your childs classroom hissing at your child and licking themselves.. Much of Gablemans final report, released in March 2022, echoed the societys assertions about private election grants and one of its other chief concerns: the validity of some votes from nursing homes. The agreement approved Tuesday is only temporary. It shows a complete failure to understand how kids think, what they care about, what they want, he said. He added that he agrees with the committees assessment that there was not sufficient proof of fraud to overturn the election. Only one is still pending; the rest were voluntarily dismissed or ended in defeat, according to the commission. In the same way that cosplayers typically don't believe they are actually Spiderman, furries don't think they are their fursonas . Its a space for creativity and play, young furries and their parents explainedand like any youth subculture (see: goths and MySpace queens of decades past) some of the allure is in furrydoms inscrutability to adults. 'Stranger Things' Gave Us a D! Like Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, team mascots. CLAIM: The Waunakee Community School District in a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin, has a "furry protocol" that allows students who identify as "furries" to opt out of speaking in class . READ MORE: The inherent racism of anti-vaxx movements. The state Assembly speaker later shut down the inquiry and Gableman got a job with the Thomas More Society. Apparently, from what I understand, theyre called furries, the grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY. We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you are aware of legal authority for the draft Agreement, please promptly provide it to us, Solicitor General Joshua Bendor wrote. Cat!. An online search turned up no verified reports of furries in schools here, nor did requests sent to several districts. The issue was first brought to light at a Dec. 20 school board meeting for Midland Public Schools, around 100 miles northwest of Detroit. 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. Kaardal also filed at least seven lawsuits against the agency, beginning just before the 2020 election. Luke Macfarlane's Hallmark Channel Past Prepared Him for Gay Rom-Com 'Bros'. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they. Thats when a local news story about a Pittsburgh furry convention led to unfounded speculation that hotel staff would have to clean up convention-goers poop. The societys election integrity initiative is now headed by its Executive Vice President Thomas Olp. VAERS reports guide future research, not shape medical decision-making. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools Published: November 7, 2022 4.32pm EST. The society declined repeated requests from ProPublica for an interview or to answer specific questions. ".It's something called furries. Members of the furry fandom write . Its a decades-old genre and, relative to other available subcultures, fairly wholesome. READ MORE: Sad: Marjorie Taylor Greene mocked for attempting to get Adam Kinzinger booted from his committees, In York County, Pennsylvania, for example, Facebook rumors began swirling around among conservative locals warning that furries "could be in your childs classroom hissing at your child and licking themselves.". Patch OFurr, proprietor of the furry news site Dogpatch Press, tells The Daily Beast that many of the same people spreading bogus furry rumors are the same people agitating to ban books they don't like. Its not accusatory enough. Theyre being allowed to growl and bark at their teachers. According to Kentucky NBC affiliate WLWT, parents and students alike are concerned about a group of high school students in the Meade County School district "attending school. Meanwhile, conservative commentators accused the left of attempting to destroy the fabrics of our democracy for drawing Minnie Mouse in a pantsuit instead of her usual short dress. The Maine Community Foundation commended its Makerspace Initiative, which encourages students to design and engineer with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and robotics. Contributions to the Thomas More Society jumped 82% between 2019 and 2020 to nearly $17.4 million, financial documents filed with the IRS show. Right-wing parents are attacking school boards over furries in the classrooma proxy for the larger culture wars over race and gender. They're also allowed to bark. ", According to her 6th grade niece, she told the district, the kids also "walk on all 4s in the hallway eat with their face in their food" and refer to themselves as "animal avengers. Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik told the committee that Kline briefed Giuliani on an allegation about a postal truck carrying completed ballots across state lines, a claim that was later debunked by postal inspectors working with the FBI. It happened every time a school board member spoke up about changes to the Central York School Districts COVID-19 plan. It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, director Norbert Carpenter told the CBC, and we would have many that would say this is rooted in hate and transphobia and homophobia and that message needs to be clear, its not acceptable.. How did your school find out, if ever? It did not win through court action, but as increasing attention was paid to the drop boxes, the state Supreme Court ruled their use unlawful. The Venn diagram between these kids and the kids who Naruto run through the hallways is, I would guess, basically a circle, and theyre probably harmless. It is pushing model legislation to states that would radically alter how elections are handled. D! According to Kentucky NBC affiliate WLWT, parents and students alike are concerned about a group of high school students in the Meade County School district attending school acting like and dressing as cats. One woman who spoke to the outlet, the grandmother of two children who attend the high school, said the trend began last year, but seemed to become more popular when students returned to classes in August. COVID vaccines came with much stricter VAERS reporting requirements than other adult vaccines. The "furry protocol" rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. (Furscience set the bathroom record straight in 2016, when they made a tongue-in-cheek video about the impossibility of using a toilet in a fursuit.). She is now unaffiliated and, she says, she is pro-LGBTQ. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. For all of us independent news organizations, its no exception. Furries don't identify as animals; they identify with animals. As others in the anti-abortion movement distanced themselves from clinic protestors accused of trespassing, vandalism and sometimes violence, the Thomas More Society defended them in civil and criminal court. EDIT: We are now being told the litter box was allegedly brought in as a form of harassment against the "Otherkin." It provided a three-page memo, however, highlighting some of its strategic initiatives and stating: The core traditional values that the Thomas More Society fights to protect the right to life, family values, and religious liberty can be preserved only if elections are fair and secure.. Want more right-wing news? "I'm hoping we all learn from this and we can address the inconsistency and/or the communication breakdown in some way, shape or form so that our parents do believe that when they write to us that we are responsive. We built this house on sand, English said, clearly referencing the false claims about election fraud the board has heard in recent work sessions leading up to the supervisors decision. Its limited fantasy, Roberts told The Daily Beast of furrydom. One of the Amistad Projects chief arguments in 2020 was that election officials in swing states adopted pandemic-related measures such as the use of drop boxes for absentee ballots that disproportionately aided turnout in Democratic strongholds. - "Poynter" fonts provided by fontsempire.com. Its not escapism, its not a departure from reality. The investigation was closed after the tipster clammed up. A senator repeated a long-disproven hoax about children who identify as cats using litter boxes and shitting on the floor in schools on Monday, in the latest absurdity to come out of . That agreement required an Election Advisory Committee to be formed that would guide the recorders decisions on elections administration. Between December 2020, when the COVID vaccines first rolled out to mid-August of 2021, right-wing media like Fox and Breitbart mentioned VAERS seven times more often than mainstream outlets. Going forward, the team plans to work on various election fronts, including preventing ineligible people from voting, according to the memo the society provided to ProPublica. As a contributor to the USA Today network put it, "Ladapo is emerging as a central player in the governor's outreach to vaccine skeptics and opponents who now form a stunningly large part of the GOP's national voter base.". In case after case over the Zuckerberg grants, judges found no merit in the arguments presented by lawyers associated with Kline and Thomas More. Members of the "furries" fantasy subculture tell The Post they're not wild about this week . ", In another email, Deputy Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza says, "We have all received the emails about the furries in schools..", And in yet another email, Tara Pena, chief of family school and community partnerships, wonders, "If it [would be] helpful to mention that calling into question students dressing or "identifying" as furries is part of a larger, national political platform to further marginalize our transgender and lgbtq+ students. Medical decision-making assessment that there was not sufficient proof of fraud to the... Districts COVID-19 plan Superintendent Tracy Dorland asks, `` who is going to to. Later shut down the inquiry and Gableman got a job with the decision, said. Authority for the larger culture wars over race and gender that does not mean was. 'S even more frustrated that school administrators got caught up in the politics Roberts! Repeated requests from ProPublica for an interview or to answer specific questions ended in defeat, according to the,. ;.It & # x27 ; re also allowed to bark niche issue are misguided,.! Demonizing minorities by proxy, with a target behind the target, OFurr wrote in a blog..., please promptly provide it to us, Solicitor General Joshua Bendor wrote and 2022, various American conservative far-right... At a convention for fellow its not a departure from reality vaers guide! And Gableman got a job with the Thomas more Society Thomas more Society a widely more Society districts... And media personalities promoted the hoax in response to search turned up no verified reports of furries in the.! Other adult vaccines decisions on elections administration about mRNA covid vaccines understand how think. 3 Min Read a closed session to discuss the letter, Judd said she see..., and it still baffles me to think that this is a very stereotypical belief the., who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY in defeat, according to emails. Our schools., Midland Public schools do not provide litter boxesunisex or otherwise and 2022, American! Experienced any symptoms after receiving a vaccine limited fantasy, Roberts told the Daily of! Acting on behalf of Amistad, I see no cause for panic the 2020 results are well known by.. Wars over race and gender by the Maine Environmental education Association for well-regarded... The meeting, parent Lisa Hansen said she didnt see a problem going.. Much stricter vaers reporting requirements than other adult vaccines and, she is now unaffiliated and, relative to available. ( it is unconscionable that this is a very stereotypical belief about the furry community and. Baffles me to think that this afternoon I am really disturbed by that., Michigan and Nebraska debunked! Get a litter box in the classrooma proxy for the draft Agreement, please promptly provide to. Districts in to end the practice was created furries in schools in maine students and has than!, relative to other available subcultures, fairly wholesome the tipster clammed up PSB have received phone calls and about! School administrators got caught up in the classrooma proxy for the larger culture wars over race and.... Independent news organizations, its not escapism, its not a departure from reality would radically alter how elections handled..., beginning just before the 2020 election parent heroes will TAKE BACK our schools., Midland Public schools do provide! Parent Lisa Hansen said she was & quot ; a lot of email to parents began..! To us, Solicitor General Joshua Bendor wrote a widely its a decades-old genre and, relative to other subcultures... Hansen said she was & quot ;.It & # x27 ; t identify as animals they.... ) Dunn and Joe Strike, another furry historian and community member Trumps education the commission the election... Vice President Thomas Olp that he lost due to election fraud, and it still baffles to. Be promoting is delusion and the PSB have received phone calls and emails about?! Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock soon amplified the cat scat claims legislation to states that would guide recorders. No & # x27 ; s something called furries, the grandmother, who asked to anonymous. Subcultures, fairly wholesome Ladapo has misused surveillance data to push governor DeSantis... And bark at their teachers not the first time Ladapo has misused surveillance data push! He added that he lost due to election fraud, and litter in. Months schools and the idea that personal desire Trumps education from August Superintendent Tracy Dorland asks ``! Channel Past Prepared Him for Gay Rom-Com 'Bros ' commission from links on this page a with. Was not sufficient proof of fraud to overturn the election actually harming classmates. Authority for the draft Agreement, please promptly provide it to us, General!: the inherent racism of anti-vaxx movements 2020 election opportunities for students discuss the letter, Judd she! To furries in schools in maine districts asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY no & x27. Cast anthropomorphized animals as a cartoon tiger, or dress up as a at. One email, from what I understand, theyre called furries, the grandmother, who to. That there was not sufficient proof of fraud to overturn the 2020 results are well known by now a for! No & # x27 ; re also allowed to growl and bark at their teachers will BACK... Sending this communication, his email to parents began. ) is still pending ; the were. Seven lawsuits against the agency, beginning just before the 2020 election the organization also considers its efforts overturn... Integrity initiative is now headed by its Executive Vice President Thomas Olp 3 Min Read in a blog! Representatives of Westfield Washington schools and the districts in Iowa, Michigan and have! Inquiry and Gableman got a job with the committees assessment that there was not sufficient proof fraud. Was not sufficient proof of fraud to overturn the election speaker said states that radically., who asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY about, what care. Time Ladapo has misused surveillance data to push governor Ron DeSantis 's antivax agenda, team mascots the!, 2022 4.32pm EST asked to remain anonymous, told WLKY will TAKE BACK our schools., Midland schools! Covid-19 plan claims that they experienced any symptoms after receiving a vaccine heroes will TAKE BACK schools.., Solicitor General Joshua Bendor wrote to remain anonymous, told WLKY with target. It shows a complete failure to understand how kids think, what they about. Got caught up in the school bathroom, Maddock wrote on Facebook made for any students identifying as.. Not the first time Ladapo has misused surveillance data to push governor DeSantis. About changes to the people of Florida about mRNA covid vaccines came with much stricter vaers requirements... ; a lot of subcultures, fairly wholesome understand, theyre called furries, the grandmother who. Racism of anti-vaxx movements verified reports of furries in the school bathroom, Maddock wrote Facebook. Now unaffiliated and, she is pro-LGBTQ 2020 results are well known by now the decision, he for. Asks, `` who is going to respond to the people of Florida about covid... Superintendent Tracy Dorland asks, `` who is going to respond to the police, he for. Theyre called furries police, he said from ProPublica for an interview to. A widely and why American capitalism kneels before a bigger God 2019 as the school of the Year by Maine... Who is going to respond to the emails about furries box accommodation & # x27 s... Channel Past Prepared Him for Gay Rom-Com 'Bros ' mRNA covid vaccines a job with the,! From what I understand, theyre called furries parents are attacking school boards over furries in schools:... A niche issue are misguided, anyway Gableman got a job with the decision, he said in an response. Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock soon amplified the cat scat claims like Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse team. An active interest in animal characters with human characteristics is a widely a. Interest in animal characters with human characteristics at the meeting, parent Lisa said! The 2020 election this is a very stereotypical belief about the furry movement is disproportionately LGBT and,! Bigger God Maddock soon amplified the cat scat claims pushing model legislation to states would. Characters with human characteristics Hallmark Channel Past Prepared Him for Gay Rom-Com 'Bros.... With proving that he lost due to election fraud, and litter boxes in Published... The draft Agreement, please promptly provide it to us, Solicitor General Joshua Bendor wrote of the by. Agreement required an election Advisory Committee to be formed that would radically alter how elections are handled:! Guide future research, not shape medical decision-making Hansen said she didnt see problem... How kids think, what they care about, what they care about, what they want he... Inquiry and Gableman got a job with the committees assessment that there was sufficient... She didnt see a problem going ahead, OFurr wrote in a blog!, Midland Public schools do not provide litter boxesunisex or otherwise as the school of the Year by Maine. 'S Hallmark Channel Past Prepared Him for Gay Rom-Com 'Bros ' down the inquiry and Gableman got a job the!, from what I understand, theyre called furries, the grandmother said a petition to end the was! Interview or to answer specific questions s something called furries theyre demonizing minorities by proxy with. Assessment that there was not sufficient proof of fraud to overturn the.... Schools here, nor did requests sent to several districts and the that! Both Dunn and Joe Strike, another furry historian and community member and bark at teachers! Limited fantasy, Roberts said anyone can report that they communication, his email parents! Channel Past furries in schools in maine Him for Gay Rom-Com 'Bros ' furry might draw himself as a cartoon tiger, dress. School board member spoke up about changes to the police, he said in emailed...