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Author of Texas bill to ban 'furries' in schools cannot come up with examples of it happening

The Brief A Texas bill, known as the FURRIES Act, would ban non-human behaviors in public schools, including the use of litter boxes and wearing animal accessories. Rep. Stan Gerdes, the bill's author, claimed schools were providing litter boxes for students acting as "furries." When pressed, Gerdes could not find an example. The bill was left pending in committee. AUSTIN, Texas - The author of a bill that would ban non-human behavior in Texas public schools struggled to come up with examples of it actually happening when pressed during a committee meeting this week. On March 13, Rep. Stan Gerdes (R-Smithville) announced he had filed the Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education Act. In a press release announcing the bill, he said he had heard reports of a "furry-related incident" at a Smithville ISD school. During a committee meeting for the bill this week, Gerdes said he called the superintendent and that the conversation was "extremely concerning." What they're saying "I was informed that this is happening in districts across the state, and they do not have tools to prohibit these types of distractions," Gerdes said. However, during a March 31 school board meeting, the district provided a release debunking those claims. "At this time, the District has no concerns related to students behaving as anything but typical children," the district said. "Rep. Gerdes contacted Superintendent Cheryl Burns to ask if there were any litter boxes for students on District campuses. Burns informed Rep. Gerdes that there were not, but as a courtesy to Rep. Gerdes, Mrs. Burns made the extra effort to walk the campus to confirm that there were no litter boxes." When asked directly about students using litter boxes at schools, Gerdes could not provide an example of a case where it had been confirmed. The representative says that his goal with the bill is to remove distractions from the classroom. "We just want to help them have the tools to get some of the distractions out of the classroom so we can get back to teaching time and stop the distractions," Gerdes said. Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) called the bill a concerning use of "debunked conspiracy theories" aimed at defunding public schools in the state. He said the "culture war attacks" were an effort to discredit public schools and justify defunding them. "Texas librarians are not grooming kids, Texas teachers are not indoctrinating kids and Texas schools are not providing litter boxes," Talarico said. "I think the most disappointing part about all this is, I think you know that." Gerdes said the bill wasn't about defaming or defunding schools. Lawmakers left the bill pending in committee. What we know The Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education, or FURRIES Act, prohibits students from engaging in "any non-human behavior," including presenting themselves as anything other than a human. Dig deeper According to the bill, examples of prohibited behaviors include: Using a litter box to relieve oneself Wearing non-human accessories, such as:TailsLeashesCollarsAccessories designed for petsFur (other than natural human hair or wigs)Animal-like earsItems not historically designed for humansMaking animal noises such as barking, meowing, or hissingLicking oneself for grooming Tails Leashes Collars Accessories designed for pets Fur (other than natural human hair or wigs) Animal-like ears Items not historically designed for humans Making animal noises such as barking, meowing, or hissing Licking oneself for grooming The bill states that students must present themselves as human and are also prohibited from: Creating organizations or clubs related to non-human behavior Promoting the belief that non-human behaviors are socially acceptable The bill allows certain exemptions, including: Halloween or school dress-up events related to human history (limited to five days per school year) Theater performances Dressing as a school mascot Students who do not comply with the proposed law could face removal from class, suspension, or expulsion. The bill also allows for placement in a juvenile justice alternative education program. Educators are required to report violations to the Texas attorney general. School districts that fail to enforce the law could face fines—starting at $10,000 for the first offense and increasing to $25,000 for further violations. The backstory According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a furry is someone who identifies with or enjoys dressing as an animal or creature. Many furries wear costumes or accessories such as animal ears and tails. A 2020 survey found that most furries are in their late teens or early 20s. The Source Information in this article comes from a House Public Education Committee meeting. Information on the FURRIES Act comes from the Texas Legislature and previous FOX 4 reporting.