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Farewell to furries: Texas bill seeks to ban ‘non-human behaviour’ in schools, including barking, hissing and meowing
A bill introduced in the Texas House of Representatives seeks to ban “non-human behavior” in schools, including practices that are common among furries.
A bill introduced in the Texas House of Representatives seeks to ban “non-human behavior” in schools, including barking and other practices that are common among furries. The bill is backed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education, also known as the FURRIES Act, would ban students from barking, hissing, meowing, wearing leashes, fur or tails at public schools in Texas. Students will also be prohibited from using litter boxes or licking as means of self-care on school grounds. Exempt from the ban are school mascots and dress-up performances including Halloween and some other themed spirit week days.
‘Texas schools are for educating kids, not indulging in radical trends’
The bill largely works as a blanket ban applied to all students. However, the patron of the bill, Republican state Rep. Stan Gerdes, specifically slammed furries.
“Our Texas classrooms should be places of learning, not distractions. That’s why I’ve filed HB 4814, the FURRIES Act (Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Educational Spaces) to ensure that public schools are not accommodating or allowing disruptive "furry" roleplaying behaviors. No distractions. No theatrics. Just education,” Gerdes wrote on X.
“While school mascots, theater performances, and dress-up days remain part of school spirit, this bill ensures that students and teachers can focus on academics—not on bizarre and unhealthy disruptions. Texas schools are for educating kids, not indulging in radical trends. Let's keep the focus where it belongs—on preparing students for success in life,” he added.
The ban does not extend to private schools. However, during a meeting with pastors in Austin, Abbott referenced it as a motivating factor to allow private school choice vouchers.
“If you have a child in a public school, you have one expectation: your children’s going to be learning the fundamentals of education — reading and writing and math and science,” Abbott said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
“If they’re being distracted by furries, those parents have a right to move their child to a school of their choice,” the governor added.
Abbott has long fought for school choice vouchers. If implemented, the programme would allow parents to divert their tax dollars toward the school of their choice instead of those in their respective area. This would include private and religious institutions that would generally not receive public funds. Abbott has acknowledged the fact that introducing the vouchers could lead to less funding for public schools.
