My @NBCNews colleagues and I spent the last month finding the root of America's hottest, dumbest urban legend:
Schools are leaving out litterboxes for kids who identify as furries.
Despite what Joe Rogan says, it's not true.
But its origins are grimmer than you'd ever imagine.
You have probably heard dozens of variations on the "litter boxes are in schools" lie.
You might have heard it from Joe Rogan, talking to Tulsi Gabbard, from his "friend's wife who works at a school."
Or maybe Lauren Boebert. Or maybe Marjorie Taylor Greene. It's everywhere. https://t.co/VpXsmkZ0vq
If you didn't hear about the "litter boxes in school" rumor from a GOP politician, you probably heard it about your OWN town.
Facebook is filled with these lies, relocalizing the rumor to your town. There are examples on Facebook posts from almost every state in the the country. https://t.co/rcSp94l3Eq
So how did this happen? What's the first real instance of people talking about cat litter in schools?
Here's where it gets dark.
NBC News found one example of a school district keeping cat litter on campus.
The Jefferson County School District has had classrooms with cat litter since 2017, in case students are locked in a classroom during a shooting.
Jefferson County is where Columbine is located.
Cat litter was handed out in Columbine's school district for active shooter situations five years ago.
Since then, the "litter boxes in schools" rumor has evolved into a way to mock LGBTQ youth.
It's now being used as a culture war ammo by over 20 GOP politicians nationwide. https://t.co/zo0r7A84ya
The data shows how the "litter boxes in schools" rumor that cannot die, mostly due to the incredulity of adults.
According to @graphika's Cristina Lopez G, kids on TikTok are creating videos mocking adults who believe in it wind up providing fodder for the oblivious on Facebook. https://t.co/5P60ky5AtE
Here's the reality: We reached out to every school rumored to have a litter box.
We found one: in a "go bucket" for a possible mass shooting.
The rumor is a way to marginalize LGBTQ youth.
Here's our full story. It was a lot of work. I hope you read it:
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinformation/urban-myth-litter-boxes-schools-became-gop-talking-point-rcna51439