Over the last few weeks we have heard a lot of discussion among LHCS students and staff regarding the new Netflix series called “13 Reasons Why,” based on a fictional novel by Jay Asher. The series is rated TV-MA (for a mature audience). It depicts a journey of a high school student who commits suicide, leaving behind tapes in which she tells her story and the events that led up to her death. Those who have seen it describe the series as graphic and real.
The creators have promoted the series as being one that would help students understand the impact of bullying, social media, harassment, assault and suicide. While the series is compelling and dramatic, the concern of many educators is that it does not accurately model what we would want or hope for students that are struggling or in crisis, and that the show may unintentionally send confusing messages about suicide. It is also a concern that so many of our students are finding ways to access this program without parental knowledge.
The intent of this newsletter post is to make families and staff aware of the series and also to provide some resources and talking points about the series. We definitely encourage you to talk with your child about this series, especially if they have already watched it.