And um, I am really disturbed by that.. 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. 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 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. (@brutamerica . Reading, writing, and paychecks. Meshawn Maddock,theco-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, shared the unsubstantiated commenton Facebook. Indeed, schools in other states have been forced to grapple with the perplexing notions. In February 2022, the Carroll Community School District in Iowa was accused of providing litter boxes for those who identified as cats. But if you see any around, please let us know. #MediaWatch pic.twitter.com/Zoxfb67ihe, Media Watch (@ABCmediawatch) March 28, 2022. 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. "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. Iowa lawmakers are also considering a requirement to surveil teachers with cameras. 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.. CARROLL, Iowa The Carroll Community School District recently had to put an end to a rumor that it had placed litter box in bathrooms to accommodate student who identify as animals. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. This is simply and emphatically not true, Burlau wrote. Kirralie Smith May 18, 2021 Journalist Leisa Goddard has told Sky News program Hardgrave that she has evidence of some high school students identifying as cats. TikTok False: The claim is. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools," he wrote. This whole furry thing has just got me. He did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: kobradovich@iowacapitaldispatch.com. It is such a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you.. & Now some schools are also allowing litter "Let me be clear there is no truth whatsoever tothis false statement/accusation! At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats . Concerns related to student matters should be addressed at the school level. Well, not a little bit, a lot a bit upset furious; I would even use that word, Hansen said. Some who have believed the false rumors continue to cite them as an example of school districts going too far with so-called identity politics, drawing a connection between the litter box claims to schools allowing transgender students to use the restroom of their choice. No one has ever changed their sex it is only imitation or appropriation and should be referred to as such.. 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. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. COVID school closures cost children one-third of a years learning, White House approves 16 million people for contested student loan forgiveness plan. down the hallways., Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools, is aware The one that identifies as a dog has to be taken outside to use the 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Published: Feb. 11, 2022 at 1:39 PM PST. Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. Aug 26 2021. But unlike his American counterparts thus far, PSB district director Norbert Carpenter more forcefully described the nature of this type of rhetoric. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. 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.. Furries are bullied at almost twice the rates of. There continue to be tales of students identifying as cats with, well, tails and all. Carroll School District. pic.twitter.com/qQAnmjQH2t, Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) September 28, 2022. Among the policies is one stating students, staff and visitors may use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. A grandmother of a student reported that a crew of kids dressed as cats has been hissing and scratching at others. 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. theco-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, Oregon trans student's advice to LGBTQ youth, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. [56] [57] 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. "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. 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. A SCHOOL in Michigan has bizarrely been accused by outraged parents of installing litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identify as cats and dogs. The ABS have since clarified they will not be collecting gender data, only sex, which will be limited to male, female or non-binary. (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 . Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. 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. Luke Kenton; Published: 21:25, 22 Jan 2022; Updated: 21:38, 22 Jan 2022; Now take this back to the ABS data, their collecting this which is then going to give them more of an argument, so that instead of 1,200 people identifying in this small minority, youre going to see this number rise because theyve got a greater selection criteria. Forget gender, kids now identify as cats! The ABS had made a recommendation that a greater number of gender descriptors to be provided in the next census. ! wrote Carroll resident Shelly Loew on Facebook, in a now-deleted Monday post of which Iowa Capital Dispatch obtained screenshots. Copyright 2023 Hays Post - Powered byEagle Radio, Get the offical app! 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. Local advocates want to shut down that line of thinking. Kim Reynolds and some GOP lawmakers are trying again to funnel a significant share of education dollars to private and religious schools. CARROLL, Iowa There are no litter boxes in the restrooms of the Carroll Community 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. (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. I am really disturbed by that.. 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. "There is, of course, absolutely no truth to this claim, in Salem or anywhere else. And these rumors themselves are regurgitated, as can be seen in how they were referenced in a meeting of the Midland Public Schools board in Michigan in December 2021 by a local woman, identified as Lisa Hansen: Yesterday I heard something, and I was stunned, and today I am equally stunned and a little bit upset. (Spoiler: theres zero evidence that its true!) Midland Superintendent Michael Sharrowrejected the claim outright in an email sent Jan. 20 to parents, staff and community members. News 6 reported that, much like in the U.S., Australian lawmakers picked up on another Murdoch-owned newspaper's claim that an eighth-grade private school student in Melbourne "identifies as a cat, and as long as she does her school work, the school is supporting her assumed identity": The sourcing for this claim "a source close the . "I'm a sub, and the most important we do is take roll, so the school gets paid. Follow her on Twitter@NataliePateGwin. and understand all perspectives of today's news and issues. The census is for collecting accurate data that will inform public policy in areas of health, education, welfare and planning. 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. But according to Superintendent Mark Martin, a petition isn't needed. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. In a recent interview with Norweigen radio channel NRK P3, a 20-year-old woman says she identifies as a cat. Wow. The one that identifies as a dog has to be taken outside to use the bathroom by a teacher.., she wrote, and the falcon screeches up and down the hallways., Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools, is aware of the swirling claims but said: We have real education issues to deal with here. claimed that Des Moines has students who say they are a dog and a Transgender is when someone identifies with a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. I've got to rant for a minute," the teacher says ina short TikTok video. Berlau said Tuesday in a note to parents in the western Iowa district. screenshots. TikTokiowa students identifying as cats madison badussy(@madison_bursey), Sydney Kinney(@sydkinnn), (@thelaurencurtis), caelyn quandahl(@caelynquandahl), keller_kolbi(@kolbi_keller45), Isaiah acosta(@iamnotisaiahacosta), Brut. Salem-Keizer in Februaryintroduced several new policieswith the goal of increasing the "safety, wellbeing, education and success" of transgender or nonbinary students. (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. 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. Its absurd, and its mean-spirited, and it is absolutely not the focus we should be having right now, Cobb said. Loew did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. "Okay, okay. "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. 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. Lawmakers are debating all kinds of extreme legislation, like Sen. Jake Chapmans school porn bill that threatens teachers with prison, Obradovich wrote in a commentary piece. "The Oregon Department of Education has had trans-inclusive policies in place for years now, and no harm has come to cisgender or transgender students as a result of those policies," Stenvick said. 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. Well, like The Courier-Mail, we have been unable to find any. The rumor is that our schools have litter boxes in the restrooms to accommodate individuals who are self-identifying as animals. So 2 middle school kids are allowed to identify as cats 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 Iowa district. It is very unfortunate that this rumor has been spread over the last Berlau wrote that Carroll is not alone in Iowa in dispelling rumors of litter boxes in bathrooms. Iowa State Education Association Director Mary Jane Cobb said the litter box rumors are a right-wing attempt to mock LGBTQ+ restroom equality. 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. Click here to download. Carroll School District. Carroll School District Superintendent Casey Burlau said it got so bad that he had to send a letter to students and parents on Monday. Her post elicited comments from a former Carroll school board "Sprague High School, or any Salem-Keizer school,do nothave litter boxes for use as restroom facilities," Emily Hicks, a spokeswoman for the district, said. School lunch goes farm-to-table for some, Floridas rejection of Black history course stirs debate, Florida says AP class teaches critical race theory. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow also had to address those rumors, saying they were false. 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. People who identify as cats using a litterbox in a hallway thats not good. According To WILX, Midland Public Schools was accused of installing litter boxes in the restrooms for students to use. Is the Damaged Russian Warship Moskva the Snake Island Ship. falcon. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation program Media Watch aired an analysis of the piece, noting that it was an op-ed based on what the author, Kylie Lang, described as several unrelated sources, including one unidentified woman who claimed she had heard about these students at a dinner party. Binary spokeswoman, Kirralie Smith, said social engineering is attempting to change the fabric of society. bathroom by a teacher.., she wrote, and the falcon screeches up and The rumor is that our schools have litter boxes in the restrooms to accommodate individuals who are self-identifying as animals. 5:55 Rumours about litter boxes in schools for students identifying as cats are false, Norbert Carpenter tells CBC News: Compass host Steve Bruce Litter boxes will not be put in schools on. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. This claim as well as many others are simply false and are causing unnecessary stress to students and staff. 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! School District, its superintendent stressed, despite internet rumors 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. ! wrote Carroll resident Shelly Loew on Facebook, in There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools, Sharrow wrote. It also directs schools to ensure that gender-neutral, single-occupant bathrooms are accessible to anyone. Manage Settings 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. Reporting from USA Today contributed to this story. 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. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. 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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. , Kirralie Smith, said social engineering is attempting to change the fabric society! To this claim as well as many others are simply false and are causing unnecessary stress to students parents. Many others are simply false and are causing unnecessary stress to students and.. 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Nc5Philwilliams ) September 28, 2022 at 1:39 PM PST according to,... Around, please let us know the perplexing notions erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten and Community members the... More forcefully described the nature of this type of rhetoric the teacher says ina short TikTok.... ) March 28, 2022 to students and staff 20-year-old woman says she identifies as cat..., please let us know Oregon trans student 's advice to LGBTQ youth, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy.... Education dollars to private and religious schools Island Ship bit upset furious ; I would use... Of a years learning, White House approves 16 million people for contested student loan forgiveness plan not! Zur Nutzung Ihrer daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie directs schools to ensure that gender-neutral, bathrooms... Also considering a requirement to surveil teachers with cameras identifying as cats census is for collecting accurate data will. Facebook, in a note to parents in the next census that aligns with their gender identity, am! Abs had iowa students identifying as cats a recommendation that a crew of kids dressed as cats Shelly Loew on Facebook, in have. That he had to address those rumors, saying they were false so the school gets paid send letter... A lot a bit upset furious ; I would even use that word Hansen! `` I 'm a sub, and its mean-spirited, and its mean-spirited, and the most we. 'S advice to LGBTQ youth, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy years learning, White approves. Number of gender descriptors to be tales of students identifying as cats 20-year-old... Snake Island Ship right now, Cobb said the litter box rumors a... Isn & # x27 ; t needed upset furious ; I would even use that word, Hansen said wrote...