(The Center Square) – Walking around on all four limbs while wearing an animal tail and a mask – called “quadrobics” – are key parts of identifying as a therian.
A therian “identifies as a species of non-human animal on every level except physical.”
Plymouth-Canton Community School District student presentations, emails and other documents obtained through a records request say that at least one student identifies as a therian – specifically an Arctic fox.
“I Still remember my arctic fox self by myself exploring the taiga woods and playing in snow,” a document written by a student reads.
The student follows the trend on TikTok and is confused about whether the person identifies as a calico cat, fox, lynx or deer.
A now-deleted Feb. 9 Nextdoor post by Angela Payne claimed that PCCS students identify as therians, which “[o]ften engage in their animal identify’s behaviors,” Payne wrote. “You may be a therian if you notice yourself shifting (getting impulses to behave as a non-human animal) or if you remember a past life as a specific animal. Why is this going on during school time. Pretty distracting [in my opinion].”
A student presentation claimed that a student “Has been a therian for the past 5 months and has a lot of experience with jumping on her hands and feet and knows how to make masks and tails.”
One student is “75% sure” of their therian identity.
“It takes a long time, like 2 years, to find out if you are a therian so I’m not completely sure,” one student wrote. “idk if all therians have a past life. they don’t. According to google therians have mental illnesses.”
Therian TikTok also often shows the hashtags #nonbinary and #bisexual.
A document written by a student reads: “I’m pretty good at jumping for quads now. I jumped over a few boxes. I kinda felt like i broke my arm i-i. Idrc tho.i wish school was over.”
On Feb. 27, 71% of PCCS voters renewed a 20-year non-homestead millage to raise $33.5 million in 2025 or 16% of the district’s general fund revenue. The district serves about 16,290 students.
PCCS Superintendent Dr. Monica L. Merritt welcomed the renewal.
“I’d like to thank our community for its support and continued investment in our schools,” Merritt said in a statement. “Renewing this millage was so important because it allows us to continue to offer our students the world class education they deserve and that our community expects. “The revenue generated will continue to support our amazing teaching and support staff. This is the team that ensures our students can learn, prepare and thrive in a safe environment.”
Currently, fewer than 33% percent of Michigan students are proficient in reading or math in the fourth and eighth grade, and grade-four reading proficiency for Black students in Michigan is at only 10% – lower than in any growing peer state, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
