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Bruce Bostelman: Nebraska lawmaker mercilessly trolled after repeating BONKERS conspiracy theory

Bruce Bostelman made the claim during a televised debate on education funding that racked up more than half-a-million views on social media within hours

A lawmaker from Nebraska was slammed after he said he was "shocked" to learn that schools were placing litter boxes in bathrooms for children who identify as cats or dogs — a claim that has already been DEBUNKED by local school authorities, who say the "false" rumour is spreading among parents throughout the USA. Bruce Bostelman, a conservative Republican senator, made the claim during a televised debate on education funding that racked up more than half-a-million views on social media within hours.

"I am a little shocked," Bostelman said over false stories that children were dressing up in cat and dog costumes, with teachers condoning and even accommodating the trend by leaving litter boxes in bathrooms. "It's something called furries. If you don't know what furries are, it's where school children dress up as animals — cats or dogs — during the school day," Bostelman said during Monday's debate. They meow and they bark and they interact with their school, with their teachers in this fashion."

Without specifying how he had come by the information, he added: “Now schools are wanting to put litter boxes in the schools for these children to use. How is this sanitary?" 

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Soon, the clip went viral on social media with many users trolling the Nebraska politician for spreading a debunked theory. One user wrote, "What the heck is going on in the #neleg? Is this guy for real? Why can’t we censor these people from spreading made up shit? #notliteralshit." Another added, "Oh good gravy. Who in their right minds believes this nonsense without doing a five second check to see if it's true? Like anyone with half a brain would be fooled. I sure would like to peek at HIS internet search history." A third quipped, "How hollow does your head have to be? Jesus."

A fourth wrote, "I'm having trouble believing this man is a #Nebraska state senator." A fifth added, "Just how dumb does a @GOP member need to be in order to actually believe 'litter boxes in schools' was a thing?." A sixth commented, "May we just say, thank you, Senator Bostelman, for volunteering as the laughing stock to take this utterly absurd hate group conspiracy to the awareness of national audiences, and thus removing any and all doubt about what and who these hate groups are, once and for all."

Bostelman issues apology

A few hours later, Bostelman acknowledged the claims weren't true after confirming with the Legislature's Education Committee that no such incidents had been reported. He said: "It was just something I felt that if this really was happening, we needed to address it and address it quickly." The furor over public school restrooms comes as a growing number of conservative states seek laws to ban transgender students from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. 

The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since last December when a member of the public brought it up at a school board meeting for Midland Public Schools northwest of Detroit. The claim was debunked by the district's superintendent Michael Sharrow, who issued a strongly worded denial that said there had "never been litter boxes within MPS schools."

"Let me be clear...there is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools," Sharrow wrote. "It is such a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you."

Still, the baseless rumors have spread across the country, and become fuel for political candidates, amid the culture wars and legislative action involving gender identification in schools.