A teacher in Colorado went viral after using a persistent classroom rumor to draw attention to a far more troubling reality in today’s schools. In a TikTok video, the educator Mr. Rupp debunked the long-running claim that students who identify as animals are provided with litter boxes. Instead, he revealed that some classrooms keep emergency supplies on hand for use during active-shooter lockdowns.
In his latest video, Mr. Rupp recounts a conversation he says he had the previous day with a man who believed schools were allowing children who identify as animals to use kitty litter in classrooms. From there, Mr. Rupp directly addresses one of the internet’s most persistent school-related rumors. Referring to the long-debunked claim that some schools provide litter boxes for students who identify as animals, he says, “We do not have kitty litter in our classroom for kids who identify as animals and therefore need to use the bathroom for whatever reason in the middle of class.”
Instead, the educator explains that some classrooms are stocked with emergency supplies for far more serious reasons. Holding up a packet of non-formaldehyde toilet chemicals, he says, “What we do have is non-formaldehyde toilet chemical so students can go to the bathroom in buckets like these in case there’s an active shooter and we’re being held hostage.”
Mr. Rupp then describes the recent encounter that prompted him to make the video. According to the teacher, he was out with his wife when a stranger overheard him discussing his profession and struck up a conversation. After his wife stepped away, the man allegedly asked, “Aren’t you mad about the kitty litter they’re making you put in your classroom?”
The TikToker says he initially thought the comment was a joke, only to realize the man was entirely serious. Mr. Rupp recalls responding, “You recognize that that is in no way actually true, right?” However, the man allegedly replied, “I heard it was.”
Drawing on nearly two decades of classroom experience, Mr. Rupp says he pushed back, telling the man, “This is not true. There are not kids going to the bathroom in litter boxes in public schools. Are you kidding?” According to the educator, the man simply responded, “Well, I believe that it’s true.”
That exchange ultimately led to Mr. Rupp’s broader point about misinformation and belief. Holding up the emergency toilet chemicals once again, he concludes, “Kids using litter boxes in a public school is not religious, it’s not faith, it’s not political, because it’s not real. This is real, though.”
Unsurprisingly, the video resonated on TikTok and Reddit, where many viewers praised Mr. Rupp for confronting a rumor that has circulated online for years. Others shared their own experiences trying to debunk similar claims made by friends and family members.
Internet Agrees With This Teacher and Believes That People Should Trust the Facts
Many viewers said Mr. Rupp’s story felt all too familiar, describing it as a common experience they wished occurred far less often.
“‘I don’t care if it’s true, I just believe it!’ are the exact words I’ve heard in similar discussions with members of my family.”
“I call them feelings, because a belief or an opinion needs to be backed up with something. Your feelings don’t.”
“Why do they all believe the kitty litter thing?!”
Whatever people believe about modern classrooms, many viewers felt Mr. Rupp’s video highlighted a more uncomfortable reality: teachers are spending less time debunking internet rumors and more time preparing for emergencies they wish they never had to face. Judging by the comments, that was the part of the story that truly gave people pause.
