A TEXAS bill is cracking down on students who use litter boxes and wear animal accessories like leashes and tails in class.
The Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education Act would prohibit students from identifying or presenting as anything other than human in public schools.
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Furries are people interested in animal characters with human characteristics who create “fursonas” to live out an alternate persona of those characters with costumes, art, and roleplaying.
“I can’t believe we have to do this, but we cannot allow these types of roleplaying distractions to affect our students who are trying to learn or our teachers and administrators who are trying to teach,” Gerdes said in a statement.
“We just have to keep this nonsense out of our schools.”
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Also included are collars, leashes, and fur accessories that aren’t designed for humans, according to local Fox affiliate KDFW.
The bill goes even further by outlawing students from creating organizations or clubs related to such behavior and promoting it as socially acceptable.
The controversial bill was introduced in the Texas legislature after reports of students engaging in these behaviors at school raised concerns.
For educators, failing to enforce the law would result in fines.
The penalties start at $10,000 for the first offense and could rise to $25,000 for repeat violations.
The bill clearly demands students must present themselves as human at all times, except during specific exemptions.
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In a press release, Gerdes said he filed the law in response to concerns about a “furry-related incident” at Smithville Independent School District.
Smithville ISD hasn’t returned The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
Governor Greg Abbott backed the bill at a Texas Pastor Council event in Austin, claiming some rural schools are dealing with students dressing as cats and using litter boxes.
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The act has also sparked outrage among some who feel it infringes on personal expression.
If passed, the Furries Act would take effect immediately with a two-thirds majority vote from the Texas House members.
The law would go into effect on September 1, 2025.
* Original Article:
https://www.the-sun.com/news/13822175/texas-wants-ban-furry-culture-school/