Public schooling in Texas faces much uncertainty as President Donald Trump seeks to dismantle the Department of Education, and Senate Bill 2 — which will give families money to enroll children in private schools — awaits voting in the House of Representatives. San Antonio, despite being one the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., continually faces school closures, and the Texas Board of Education approved a Bible-infused curriculum just last fall.
Amid these shaky times in public education, Governor Greg Abbott and District 17 Representative Stan Gerdes have taken an unforeseen swipe at furries — a subculture known for wearing tails and animal personas.
The Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education, or FURRIES Act, would ban “any non-human behavior by a student,” including meowing, barking and hissing; wearing a tail, collar, or ears and “licking oneself or others for the purpose of grooming.”
In supporting the bill, Abbott referenced two rural school districts, claiming, “Kids go to school dressed up as cats with litter boxes in their classrooms.” Yet, he later failed to provide the names of the districts when asked.
Gerdes has been vocal against furry subculture, calling it “unhealthy roleplaying” and “radical” in a written statement.
With no immediate cosponsors, it is unclear whether the FURRIES Act is taken seriously by other representatives, but codifying punishment against these behaviors — many of which are typically observed among children during play — sets a dangerous precedent.
While Gerdes writes “No distractions. No theatrics. Just education” on social media, the rhetoric he has espoused is more akin to “No creativity. No self-expression” — both necessary values for children growing into well-adjusted adults.
The absurdity of the bill becomes more apparent when considering that SB 2, which Abbott has strongly pushed, promotes private schools that teach their own practices and philosophies — a freedom that the FURRIES Act polices.
“The irony. A taxpayer-funded voucher w/no strings attached opens the door to the ‘St. Francis School of Furries,’” wrote Representative Gina Hinojosa in response to the bill on X.
If Texas lawmakers truly valued educational freedom, they would not push school choice while stifling student expression. SB 2 draws parents to private schools that have the authority to shape their environments, while the FURRIES Act tells public school students exactly how to behave, even though wearing cat ears has no real impact on learning.
The leaders changing education today have shown their policies are not about education, but about control. Knowing this, parents should reconsider who they want as the drivers behind their children’s education.
English
Spanish