An Australia-based high school teacher has failed to return to work after videos of her reportedly dressed as a cat went viral online.
A report by The Courier-Mail included complaints from students who accused the educator of referring to herself as “Miss Purr” and engaging in catlike behavior, such as hissing when students failed to comply with her demands, per social media complaints from parents.
The teacher was working at Marsden State High School in Logan City, south of Brisbane, when the alleged behavior occurred, the New York Post reported.
High school teacher reportedly identifies as cat, licks hands, hisses at students https://t.co/qrDRlPmlG8 pic.twitter.com/MU19V9zlF3
— New York Post (@nypost) February 8, 2025
Photos and videos allegedly taken during class were published in the Australian outlet The Courier-Mail. The images depict the teacher wearing a cat ears headband during class and a rainbow lanyard with the word “purr” on it.
“She … forces the children to call her Miss Purr and cat screeches and growls when they don’t listen,” one Facebook commenter wrote.
“She sits in class and licks her hands. It’s absolutely disgusting. Something needs to be done about this,” another comment said.
A Facebook commenter identifying herself as the mother of a student claimed her daughter was made to “purr” to get a lollipop.
Another person who professed to be a relative of a student said their child “barks” at the teacher when they walk past.
“It’s more frustrating that the mainstream schooling and education system we are sending our kids to every day has teachers doing things like this,” that commenter said, per local news outlet 7News.
“I want teachers who I can rely on to teach my kids what they need in life and be someone they can look up to, which isn’t someone who wears ears,” that person added.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education provided a statement to 7News, saying, “The school is aware of parents’ concerns and the principal has addressed the issue directly with the teacher.”
