Texas schools may soon ban students who identify as ‘furries’ after lawmakers introduced groundbreaking legislation targeting the controversial subculture. Following insane reports of children acting like animals at schools, this new proposed legislation will allow many parents across the country to breathe a sigh of relief.
At a glance:
• Texas State Rep. Stan Gerdes introduced the FURRIES Act to ban animal-like behavior in public schools
• The bill would prohibit behaviors like barking, hissing, wearing tails or fur in educational settings
• Gov. Greg Abbott strongly supports the legislation, citing issues in rural schools with students dressing as animals
• School boards would need to adopt codes of conduct and penalties for violations, including possible suspension
• Critics claim the bill targets LGBTQ students unfairly while supporters argue it’s about maintaining educational standards
Abbott Backs Ban on School “Furries”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has thrown his full support behind the FURRIES Act, citing concerning reports from rural Texas school districts where students are allegedly attending class dressed as cats. The Governor’s endorsement comes as the Texas legislature prioritizes the bill, officially re-designated as House Bill 54 by House Speaker Dustin Burrows, signaling its importance to Republican leadership.
Abbott made his position clear during recent comments supporting the legislation.
“Kids in two rural school district settings go to school dressed up as cats with litter boxes in their classrooms. This has become so prolific, Stan Gerdes, State Representative in the state of Texas, is actually having to file a piece of legislation saying no furries in public schools in the state of Texas,” Abbott said.
The proposed legislation, officially called the Furthering Understandable Rules and Restrictions Regarding Inappropriate Expressions in Schools Act, would prohibit students from engaging in “non-human” behaviors. These include wearing tails, leashes, fur suits, making animal noises like barking or meowing, and using litter boxes instead of traditional restrooms.
Can you believe we have to legislate this stuff?
Legislation Targets Educational Distractions
Representative Stan Gerdes expressed frustration at having to introduce such legislation but emphasized the need to maintain focused learning environments.
“I can’t believe we have to do this, but we cannot allow these types of role-playing distractions to affect our students who are trying to learn or our teachers and administrators who are trying to teach. We just have to keep this nonsense out of our schools,” Gerdes stated.
The bill would require Texas school boards to adopt strict codes of conduct prohibiting these behaviors with penalties for violations that could include suspension or expulsion. Exceptions would be made for appropriate scenarios like Halloween celebrations, theatrical performances, and school mascots, ensuring normal school activities remain unaffected.
Governor Abbott has linked the issue to his broader push for school choice legislation, arguing that parents deserve options when their children’s education is compromised.
“If you have a child in a public school, you have one expectation, your child is going to be learning the fundamentals of education, like reading, writing, math and science. If they’re being distracted by furries, those parents have a right to move their child to the school of their choice,” Abbott said.
Controversy Surrounds Claims and Motives
Predictably, the proposed legislation has drawn criticism from left-wing LGBTQ advocates who claim the bill targets students unfairly and is based on unfounded rumors. Critics argue reports of students using litter boxes in schools have been repeatedly debunked by school officials across the country, suggesting the bill is politically motivated rather than addressing real problems.
Meanwhile, supporters point to the bill’s provisions amending the Texas Family Code to address mental or emotional injury related to non-human behaviors. The legislation would also empower citizens to file complaints with the Texas Attorney General’s Office if schools fail to comply with the new regulations.
