A New Hampshire high school is speaking out against an outlandish claim reportedly made by U.S. Senate candidate Don Bolduc.
In recent weeks, Republicans across the country have stated as fact an urban legend that schools in their states are putting out litter boxes for children who "identify as cats," NBC News reported last month.
Bolduc, running against Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in next week's election, is now among those who have spread that myth, according to reports from CNN, which shared an audio recording, and New Hampshire Public Radio.
"They're putting litter boxes," Bolduc said in the recording. "These are the same people that are concerned about spreading germs. Yet they let children lick themselves and then touch everything. And they're starting to lick each other."
Get New England news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NECN newsletters.
Bolduc claimed this was taking place in schools in Claremont and Derry and named Pinkerton Academy, which took to Twitter this week to refute the allegation.
"It has come to our attention that at a recent event in Claremont Don Bolduc named Pinkerton in false claims suggesting that unhygienic, disturbing practices are taking place in our classrooms and spaces on campus," the school said Monday in response to the CNN story. "We want to assure our community that Mr. Bolduc's statements are entirely untrue."
The school added that it is inviting any candidates to speak with its community or visit the campus "so they can inform themselves about our school before making claims about what occurs here."
In investigating the kitty litter myth, NBC News could find only one example of cat litter being kept for students by a school district -- as part of emergency supplies for when students are locked down during a shooting at the Colorado school district that includes Columbine High School.
"This thing has gotten out of control with politicians just wanting to have a talking point,” former Jefferson County schools Director of Campus Safety John McDonald told NBC News.
