In April 2022, a false rumor about a school district in Wisconsin implementing a set of “furry protocols” in order to deal with a rash of students who were “identifying as cats” was presented as genuine news on a conservative podcast. A video of Wisconsin talk radio host Vicki McKenna’s appearance on the Dr. Duke Show, a podcast hosted by Dr. Duke Pesta, racked up more than 100,000 views as it circulated on social media:
INSANE: Multiple parents have come forward with information on @WaunakeeCSD’s “furry protocol.” The school reportedly lets students identify and act like furries.
I called the school and they immediately got hostile and refused to answer if they indeed have a furry policy. pic.twitter.com/x4BRsPpRqX
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) April 1, 2022
There’s no truth to this rumor. The Waunakee school district has not seen a wave of students identifying as cats, and they did not enforce any “furry protocols” in order to deal with these alleged students.
Randy Guttenberg, the superintendent of the Waunakee school district, told the Wisconsin news outlet Isthmus.com: “I am aware of the misinformation that is circulating on social media. The Waunakee Community School District does not have protocols for furries, nor do we have an issue with disruptions in our school and classrooms.”
The “furry protocol” rumor is the newest wrinkle in a series of false claims concerning absurd behavior in schools. In January 2022, for example, unfounded rumors were circulated...
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