(The Center Square) – State Rep. Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville, introduced the FURRIES Act (Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education) on Thursday to prohibit Texas public schools from allowing furry subculture behavior in classrooms and on campuses. The furry subculture involves individuals adopting anthropomorphic animal identities who often dress in costumes and attempt to mimic animal behavior.

“I can’t believe we have to do this, but we cannot allow these types of role-playing distractions to affect our students who are trying to learn or our teachers and administrators who are trying to teach,” Gerdes said in a statement. “We just have to keep this nonsense out of our schools.