LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) — Officials with the Seward and Adams Central school districts on Monday labeled as “ridiculous” and “an ugly rumor” talk that students have dressed up as cats and dogs and have requested litter boxes to handle their bathroom needs.
A spokeswoman with the Millard Public Schools also said she was unaware of anything of that nature happening in that Omaha area district.
The districts were contacted by the Nebraska Examiner after State Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard spoke on the floor of the State Legislature on Monday, saying he was “shocked” that schoolchildren have been allowed by school officials to dress up as “furries,” interacting with teachers using meows and barks, and requesting litter boxes.
“How is that sanitary?” Bostelman asked. “How can schools allow this to happen?”
Later, on Monday afternoon, the senator said he and Fremont Sen. Lynn Walz, the head of the Legislature’s Education Committee, had contacted several schools and found the talk to be untrue.
“We wanted to put an end to it,” Bostelman said, after his earlier speech was widely shared via Twitter by 3 News Now Reporter Jon Kipper.
Heard story at meeting
Earlier Monday, Bostelman had said he had even heard from some Millard-area parents that a student, dressed as a cat, had asked for a litter box, and when that request was denied, had defecated on a floor.
When asked what schools he was referencing, Bostelman said Omaha and Seward, adding that he had talked to some parents from Millard at a meeting over the weekend who related the story about the furry cat. Hastings Sen. Steve Halloran said he has also heard it was a problem at Adams Central schools in his district.
‘An ugly rumor’
But school officials called the issue a myth. It appears to be a continuation of rumors that have been debunked in schools in Midland, Michigan, and Carroll, Iowa. Some reports have also tied the accusations to right-wing attacks on public schools.
“This is ridiculous,” said Dr. Josh Fields, the superintendent of the Seward Public Schools.
“It’s an ugly rumor,” said Shawn Scott, the superintendent Adams Central, which issued a statement on Feb. 18 shooting down the rumor.
Rebecca Kleeman, a spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said she is unaware of any incidents involving furries or requests for litter boxes.
Bostelman made the comments during a debate over a bill, introduced by Gretna Sen. Jen Day, that would require schools to have “points of contact” for students with behavioral health issues,
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
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