Dear Great River Families;
Season 2 of a very popular Netflix show among adolescents, 13 Reason’s Why, is set to be released this weekend. In the first season last Spring, The fictional series followed a high school student as he listens to thirteen cassette tapes recorded by a classmate who completed suicide.
Netflix has taken some more precautions this season that lessen the romanticization of mental illness and encourages accessing adult and professional help if a person is in a mental health crisis. However, we wanted to re-share the announcement from last Spring which includes resources and talking points for adults and families:
Great River faculty believe it is important to address mental health and suicide openly and without stigma. However, we share the concern of others who work with young people that 13 Reasons Why does not model what we would want students to do if they or a friend were in crisis.
This is an extremely popular show that many young people have been discussing. If your student isn’t watching the show, they likely have friends who are. We encourage all parents and staff to model ending the stigma around talking about mental health and suicide, especially if you know of a student that is watching this show. Please reassure students that talking openly and honestly about emotional distress (their own or a friend's) with a trusted adult is okay and encouraged.
With television viewing now available and accessible on any mobile device or laptop, being aware of what young people are watching is more challenging than it used to be. Often times our students are streaming shows by themselves or with other teens present, and some are sharing Netflix IDs and passwords with friends so they can access online content. With this shift in how young people consume media, we encourage families to talk with their student about shows they are watching, especially if they are watching shows like 13 Reasons Why.
Recently, several media stories have also looked at the show and how it misaligns with best practices of mental health care and suicide prevention, including some that include talking points for parents and educators about the series.
- 13 Reasons Why Talking Points (JED Foundation)
Should you have any questions or desire to discuss these issues further, please contact our school social workers Seth Tupper at stupper@greatriverschool.org or Saleha Erdmann at serdmann@greatriverschool.org