School districts warning parents about Netflix series with heavy focus on teenage suicide
Local school districts have co-written and sent home a letter to parents warning them about a new popular show on Netflix called “13 Reasons Why,” a fictional account about the traumatic events leading up to the suicide of a teenage girl.
“I think our main goal is to make parents aware of the Netflix series, and its pretty graphic content, so they have the information about watching it and to be having conversations with their children,” says Tracy Hensel, associate superintendent for student services with SD76. “We feel it could potentially glamourize suicide. And so we wanted parents to be aware of that content.”
Prairie Rose School Division director of inclusion Camille Quinton says the show might put vulnerable kids at risk if they have viewed it without parental knowledge, and are struggling with the heavy themes on their own.
“We know anytime someone (public) commits suicide, and suicide is idealized like this, we do see more kids at risk,” says Quinton. “We see more suicidal ideation and attempts. We want to make sure our parents and staff are aware of what the warning signs are, and things like that, so they can talk to the students and point them in the right direction to get additional support if needed.”
Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education associate superintendent Hugh Lehr hopes the letter sent home to parents will create greater awareness if those vulnerable kids start showing any of the warning signs of existing emotional struggles aggravated by exposure to the series.
“This is a Netflix publication you can access anywhere; so kids may not be watching it at home and parents may not know they are watching it,” states Lehr. “We just wanted to make sure kids get directed to our mental health officials who can help deal with some of their questions, fears and anxieties around the issue.”
Hensel acknowledges the current buzz surrounding the series might be irresistible to some youth.
“We can’t protect our children from everything but I think we can make parents aware,” states Hensel. “Whether they have seen the Netflix series or not, they may have had conversations with their friends about it. We want to encourage parents to have open conversations with their children around the topic of suicide, and feel parents should have an opportunity to control those conversations with their kids.”
“Kids are going to watch it,” agrees Lehr. “What we are concerned about is some impressionable youth, if they do watch it, are going to need support. Kids will have questions, and the content is really heavy.”