A Utah school district embroiled in a controversy over student furries (people who identify as animals, dress like animals, and imitate animal behavior) has changed its stance in recent days. I changed it a little. As recently as Thursday, the school was denying the existence of furries, but now insists it takes all allegations of “school harassment” (including, presumably, harassment from furries) “very seriously.” .
As Blaze News previously reported, dozens of students and their parents staged an anti-fur protest last Wednesday at Mount Nebo Middle School in Payson, Utah, about an hour south of Salt Lake City. I did it. Students say they have been barked at their fur, bitten with sticks in class, played fetch in the hallway, and even bitten by classmates who invaded their territory or sprayed them with air fresheners. reported.
Blaze News was able to provide some exclusive photos and videos that support at least some of the claims regarding the fur issue. These photos and videos show students wearing animal masks and other animal paraphernalia, walking around on all fours, and even bragging about spraying chemicals in people’s faces. .
Despite this evidence being readily available, the Nebo School District repeatedly denied the existence of a problem. District Representative Seth Sorenson told Blaze News, “There have been no incidents of biting, licking, costumes, or animal behavior at Mount Nebo Middle School. These rumors are unfounded and our school… This is not happening in the country,” he wrote in Blaze News.
The Salt Lake Tribune also published an article that more or less parroted the District’s conversation about the fur scandal under the guise of fact-checking. “Fact Check: Nebo School District Responds to Allegations of Student Protests Over ‘Fur’,” the article reads. heading Tribune education reporter Michael Lee spoke Wednesday night, the same day as the protests. The article does not mention conversations with students or parents who made fur-related complaints.
By Saturday, the district had sent Blaze News a revised statement implicitly acknowledging the fur issue. The new statement condemned all instances of “harassment of any kind in schools,” without ever mentioning the furries by name or the disruptive behavior they were allegedly involved in.
Seth Sorenson’s new statement is long and discusses multiple subjects, so I’ll share two paragraphs that pertain only to furry topics. Certain sentences that ostensibly refer to fur are in bold.
We would like to reiterate that we do not tolerate harassment of any kind in our schools and take this very seriously. Administrators never told students that it was acceptable for any student to harass or harm other students.We take all forms of harassment very seriously and will thoroughly investigate all allegations of these acts. Our top priority is the safety and security of all students and creating an environment where all students feel safe and secure. Our administration will never allow any group of students to target and harass other students without intervention or consequences.. We again encourage students who have experienced harassment or bullying to contact the administration so that it can be addressed.
At Mount Nebo Secondary School, we take the education of our 11 and 12 year olds very seriously. Our teachers, staff, and administration are all focused on creating an environment where students can learn and develop a lifelong love of education and self-improvement.
Blaze News asked The Salt Lake Tribune if it would update its coverage in light of the school district’s new position on the harassment allegations at Mount Nebo Middle School. Lee, editor-in-chief Sheila McCann and editor-in-chief Lauren Gustas did not respond.
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