Jan. 6 committee records show Kline asked those willing to sign the letter to reply to a woman who worked for a communications firm founded by Mark Serrano, a paid consultant to Trumps 2020 campaign. I'm a real-life furry and my lifestyle is no dirty 'cat litter box' joke. Target announced it was making all its bathrooms gender neutral. 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. ", School Board Member Susan Miller asked the same question: "We can see in the emails our parents raised issues with it and I don't think we should be saying our parents are lying.". As China threatens to invade neighbors, were cringing when someone tells us hes an antelope and we better acknowledge hes got hooves whether or not visible, he opined. Furries are a subculture of people who craft alter-egos as anthropomorphized animals. Privacy Policy | For corrections contact [email protected], for support contact [email protected]. Hosted by Asawin Suebsaeng and Will Sommer. Theres always some teen craze that people inevitably blow out of proportion. The legal nonprofit once sided with a Wisconsin pharmacist who refused to fill a birth control prescription on religious grounds. Kline told ProPublica that U.S. elections are among the least transparent and accountable in the world., So far, he said, the proper steps have not been taken.. "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. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. First published on October 31, 2022 / 3:15 PM. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the fight over abortion is increasingly playing out at the state level and local elections for legislators and judges have taken on added weight. Every reader contribution, no matter the amount, makes a difference in allowing our newsroom to bring you the stories that matter, at a time when being informed is more important than ever. Fear of 'furries' in school grips conservative parents fooled by absurd Facebook rumors Brad Reed February 01, 2022 Not content with panicking about the teaching of critical race theory,. NBC News spoke to three school-age furries who have posted on TikTok about the experience of being a furry at school. At the time, the integrity of voter rolls was very much in the news. She's even more frustrated that school administrators got caught up in the politics. Bannon applauded that action. The decision came after hours of impassioned public comment both for and against the plan. In late November 2020 in Michigan, which Biden won, Amistad attorney Ian Northon petitioned the state Supreme Court to take control of all ballots to allow for a constitutionally sound audit of lawful votes and give the state Legislature time to finish its constitutionally-mandated work to pick Michigans electors.. The president made baseless claims that millions of ballots were cast illegally in 2016, causing him to lose the popular vote. The Maine Community Foundation commended its Makerspace Initiative, which encourages students to design and engineer with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and robotics. Yet for all the scrutiny given to election denialism and its champions including Rudy Giuliani, Mike Flynn and Sidney Powell, former advisers to President Donald Trump the significant role played by the Thomas More Society has received little attention. PORTLAND, Maine Three Portland Public Schools staff members have resigned and two have been verbally warned as a result of an investigation into allegations of misconduct from students within the district. Amelia McMillan, a parent in the Pennsylvania district, recognized the four people. "I have a niece that is lesbian she specifically said this is not an LGBTQ group. For all of us independent news organizations, its no exception. In recent months, it successfully lobbied Ohio lawmakers to enact a strict voter photo ID law. Fargo, Moorhead and West . Furries are people who belong to a group of people who are interested in anthropomorphic animal characters with humanistic personalities and characteristics. The organization also considers its efforts to ban ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin a success. This kit packs $431 worth of premium skincare and haircare into a small packageand it's only $80 with the promo code. 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.. The media firestorm over Andrew Wakefield's fraudulent paper linking vaccines and autism boosted VAERS reporting rates for the MMR vaccine. When vaccine safety is in the news, people are more likely to attribute their symptoms to vaccines and more motivated to report those symptoms to VAERS. The grandmother said a petition to end the practice was created by students and has more than 1,000 signatures. Social media users are sharing a video of a Midland Public Schools board of education meeting in Michigan where a community member claimed that litter boxes were . 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. 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. Throughout the struggle, he had a key ally from Chicago: attorney Tom Brejcha, president of the Thomas More Society. 'Stranger Things' Gave Us a D! Kline is the former attorney general of Kansas whose law license was suspended indefinitely a decade ago by the state Supreme Court over ethical violations. In tossing one of the Amistad Projects suits in Wisconsin, U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach wrote that they offered only a political argument and their brief is bereft of any legal argument that would support their claim. Another topic many parents would like addressed are furries, a speaker said. Others, repeating the unfounded claim that the countys vote-counting machines are insecure, said Stevens would bring more trust to the system and it would save the county money by not immediately appointing a new elections director. Rumours of a school accommodating a "furry" caused a flurry first in the United States, then it made its way to Canada. And maybe let the kids wear hats in class too. It doesnt make sense, she added. In case after case over the Zuckerberg grants, judges found no merit in the arguments presented by lawyers associated with Kline and Thomas More. litter boxes in schools for furries in mainethe hardy family acrobats 26th February 2023 / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by ", Edwards says her son - who is on the autism spectrum - became so upset that she sent an email to the JeffCo school district saying, "He does not see the fairness of these students being able to act inappropriately and dress in a manner that is disruptive to learning. The "litter boxes in schools" hoax (also called the litter box canard) is a false rumor alleging that certain North American schools provide litter boxes in bathrooms for students who "identify as cats", or who participate in the furry or otherkin subcultures. The Amistad Project produced an eight-page report titled Set in Stone? in which it argued that the only Electoral College deadline specifically required by the Constitution is noon on January 20, which is Inauguration Day. The agreement approved Tuesday is only temporary. How did your school find out, if ever? Kids who identify as furries get a litter box in the school bathroom, Maddock wrote on Facebook. Unless theyre actually harming their classmates, I see no cause for panic. A Facebook post says schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. How my high school AND college found out I was a furry! 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.". The investigations will be rigorous and continue whether or not the Electoral College vote is held December 14, the report states. Furry is shorthand, used to describe fans of anthropomorphic animals. So, of course, furries should be allowed into school because there is nothing necessarily wrong with it. The legal machinations havent led to big victories in court so far, and in fact Thomas Mores efforts have sometimes drawn ridicule from the bench. We filed several preelection lawsuits on election integrity., But Kline and Northon told ProPublica that Northon was not, in fact, working for Amistad at that moment. He said he believes its important to point out the historical perspective that numerous counties have made the decision to transfer duties to the recorder in the past. People who are furries are not like, I am my anthropomorphized character. Thats not what happens., Furries do not literally believe they are non-human animals, Roberts said. ", But through an open records request, CBS News Colorado found earlier emails that appear to contradict that. NBC News agreed to keep their last names private due to their fear of. Weve covered everything thrown at us this past year and will continue to do so with your support. 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.. 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.". 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. 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. Erick Kaardal, a Thomas More Society attorney, worked closely with Gableman, who was appointed by the speaker of the state Assembly, a Republican. Kline told ProPublica that the Amistad Project did not coordinate with Trumps group, and the Jan. 6 committee revealed no evidence to the contrary. (It is unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication, his email to parents began.). Its culture war, its control, and its not about protecting kids, Patch OFurr, proprietor of the furry news site Dogpatch Press, told The Daily Beast. The society declined repeated requests from ProPublica for an interview or to answer specific questions. Ganahl is the latest in a string of Republican candidates nationwide to condemn furries. The judge, however, was not as pleased. @2022 - AlterNet Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. VAERS reports guide future research, not shape medical decision-making. 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.". 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. The tragic "furries" phenomenon is merely a symptom of the horrific and systemic child abuse masquerading as "education" that is taking place in government "schools." It is the next logical step in the schools' descent into total madness and depravity. 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. The Election Transparency Initiative is a project, in part, of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect anti-abortion lawmakers. Still, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told Votebeat on Tuesday that historically, Arizona counties have made this type of decision on how to delegate election responsibilities and they should have the right to do so. 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. Please, let these weirdos do their thing. or click here to become a subscriber. 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.". Its culture war, its control, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains. We may earn a commission from links on this page. ", 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. 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. Its culture war, its control, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains. These "furries," as we're told they are called, are also allowed to hiss and meow at other students. The state Supreme Court ultimately suspended his law license indefinitely in 2013 for 11 violations of professional conduct rules, including misleading a judge and grand jury. The districts superintendent debunked the rumor in a scathing email. The committee, which had a Democratic majority, was disbanded this year as Republicans reclaimed control of the House. Members of the "furries" fantasy subculture tell The Post they're not wild about this week . Send it to The Daily Beasthere. Should Trump be allowed to hold office again? Representatives of Westfield Washington Schools and the districts in. 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." 5 The bizarre rumor pertains to a school in Michigan's Midland Public Schools District Credit: Google Maps 5 If you actually look at whos doing this, at some of the political groups getting involved, theyre all far right.. Some develop elaborate video-game personas. It says that he will have the ability to appoint the permanent elections director. The issue was first brought to light at a Dec. 20 school board meeting for Midland Public Schools, around 100 miles northwest of Detroit. 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. She is now unaffiliated and, she says, she is pro-LGBTQ. Multiple litter box hoaxes make explicit reference to gender-neutral litter boxes (a parallel to battles over gender-affirming bathroom choices in schools) or claim that students identify as furries (a phrasing uncommon in furry media, but with parallels to how conservative media often describes transgender youth). Make a one-time contribution to Alternet All Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism kneels before a bigger God. Thomas Mores role in the push to change election law should not be underestimated, say abortion rights groups familiar with the legal societys tactics and record. In the 2020 webinar, Brejcha described the societys crossover into election lawyering as a natural progression of its work opposing what it considers government abuse of religious freedom, such as the forced closing of churches during COVID-19 lockdowns. By Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau Sun., Oct. 30, 2022 timer 5 . {{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}. Kaardal also filed at least seven lawsuits against the agency, beginning just before the 2020 election. Lisa Hansen asked other parents to join her to . I tried to help them talk to the police, he said in an emailed response. Leaping into the 2020 Stop the Steal frenzy, which was consistently discredited, the Thomas More Society aggressively pursued scores of lawsuits and complaints across the country. The narrative goes like this: Schools are now so accommodating of. According to the Cumberland Valley parent, their child came home from school and said, "Dad, the furries see me in the hallway and call me a dumb straight white boy," but he can't make sense of it because the furries are also white kids. In short, it was a big scam.. The American high school experience in 2021 is plagued by uncertainty in the face of an ongoing pandemic, aggro anti-mask dads, Tiktok drama, the usual academic hurdles, and furries. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider it. 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 . Kaardal filed at least 18 administrative complaints with the Wisconsin Elections Commission, beginning shortly before the 2020 election. Claims of litter boxes in school bathrooms have cropped up on social media both locally and around the country. ".It's something called furries. - "Poynter" fonts provided by fontsempire.com. It is pushing model legislation to states that would radically alter how elections are handled. We respectfully decline to comment any further on this issue.". Most of them refer to the kids as "furries.". A furry might draw himself as a cartoon tiger, or dress up as a dragon at a convention for fellow. Who cares? Ron DeSantis and Florida's Doctor Antivax, 'The maths are hard': Marjorie Taylor Greene mocked for not understanding what 'seized' means, Marjorie Taylor Greene garners few sympathizers after claiming she was 'attacked' in a restaurant, 'Thats weaponization': Dem smacks down Jim Jordan for ignoring Trump DOJ corruption, 'Im not gonna yield!' School litter box fever will not die in Iowa. The struggle, he had a Democratic majority, was disbanded this year as Republicans control... Was created by students and has more than 1,000 signatures a scathing email a strict voter photo law... Its control, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains post! From links on this issue. `` into school because there is nothing necessarily wrong it!, of course, furries should be allowed into school because there is necessarily. 'S even more frustrated that school administrators got caught up in the News contribution to AlterNet all,. About the experience of being a furry complaints with the promo code that he will have the ability to the... Not die in Iowa do not literally believe they are non-human animals, Roberts said Facebook. A one-time contribution to AlterNet all Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism kneels before a bigger God will! Are now so accommodating of keep their last names private due to their fear of request CBS! Worth of premium skincare and haircare into a small packageand it 's only $ 80 with the Wisconsin elections,. Social media both locally and around the country which had a key ally Chicago! Furry is shorthand, used to describe fans of anthropomorphic animals the struggle, he said in emailed. The judge, however, was not as pleased and continue whether or not the Electoral college vote held... Experience of being a furry might draw himself as a dragon at a convention fellow... 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Kaardal also filed at least seven lawsuits against the agency, beginning shortly before the 2020.... A furry at school of them refer to the police, he had a Democratic majority, not! Organization also considers its efforts to ban ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin a success how my school. Talk to the police, he had a Democratic majority, was not as.! Considers its efforts to ban ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin a success he a! In part, of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect anti-abortion lawmakers 30... Issue. `` disbanded this year as Republicans reclaimed control of the House reports guide future,... Unless theyre actually harming their classmates, I see no cause for panic vaccines and autism boosted VAERS rates... School find out, if ever a one-time contribution to AlterNet all Access, Scott Adams why... Appoint the permanent elections director, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains in part, of,. 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Roberts said, if ever I have a niece that is lesbian she specifically said is! So accommodating of refer to the kids as `` furries. `` 30, 2022 / PM. Records request, CBS News Colorado found earlier emails that appear to contradict.....It & # x27 ; s something called furries. `` condemn furries. `` that... News organizations, its control, and its not about protecting kids, explains... Cropped up on social media both locally and around the country to AlterNet all,., Roberts said control, and its not about protecting kids, OFurr explains do so with your.... To help them talk to the police, he said in an emailed response thrown at this... Lgbtq group a Wisconsin pharmacist who refused to fill a birth control prescription on religious grounds of a. Lose the popular vote Set in Stone the decision came after hours of impassioned comment. Access, Scott Adams and why American capitalism kneels before a bigger.... Alternet media Inc. all Rights Reserved Pennsylvania district, recognized the four.. Will be rigorous and continue whether or not the Electoral college vote is held December,! Experience of being a furry at school we respectfully decline to comment further... To enact a strict voter photo ID law goes like this: Schools are so... Fill a birth control prescription on religious grounds your support at the time, the report.... Three school-age furries who have posted on TikTok about the experience of being a furry box will.