A POPULAR NEW SERIES ON
NETFLIX HAS CAPTURED THE
ATTENTION OF TEENAGERS AND
MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT SUICIDE.
SHE LIED ABOUT IT ON THOSE
TAPES BECAUSE SHE'S A CRAZY
DRAMA QUEEN WHO JUST KILLED
HERSELF FOR ATTENTION.
THE SHOW IS CALLED 13
REASONS WHY IT'S ABOUT A 17-
YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO TAKES HER OWN
LIFE BUT BEFORE SHE DOES SHE
LEAVES RECORDINGS FOR THE
PEOPLE SHE IDENTIFIES AS THE
REASONS SHE KILLED HERSELF.
THIS WEEK SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ACROSS MINNESOTA SENT LETTERS
AND E-MAILS TO PARENTS WARNING
THEM ABOUT THE MATURE CONTENT
OF THE SERIES.
ANGELA DAVIS SPOKE WITH A
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER.
WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THIS TO
ME WHEN I WAS ALIVE?
THE DIALOGUE IS CHILLING.
THE STORYLINE IS DISTURBING AND
DARK.
SOME OF THE SCENES ARE GRAPHIC
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY STUDENTS
IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH
SCHOOL CAN'T STOP WATCHING AND
TALKING ABOUT 13 REASONS WHY.
BECAUSE TEENAGERS KNOW ABOUT
THIS AND ARE WATCHING IT
DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT A
PARENT KNOWS THAT THEY'RE
WATCHING IT.
RIGHT?
STEPHANIE OVERSEES THE
HENNEPIN SCHOOL DISTRICT'S
COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.
LETTERS WENT OUT TO PARENTS
WARNING THEM THEIR KIDS MAY BE
WATCHING THE POPULAR NETFLIX
SERIES AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO
TALK ABOUT IT.
I THINK THE CONCERN IS
GLAMOURIZATION OF SUICIDE.
GIVING A STORY THAT'S
INCOMPLETE TO CHILDREN WHO
REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND LONG
TERM CAUSE AND EFFECT.
SHE SAYS IT'S UP TO PARENTS
TO DECIDE WHETHER THE SHOW IS
APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR KIDS.
MENTAL HEALTH GROUPS LIKE
BLOOMINGTON BAY SAVE HAVE
WRITTEN UP TALKING
POSSIBILITIES FOR PARENTS TO
HELP THEM DISCUSS THE SHOW'S
SUICIDE THEME.
RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS THAT
INFORMATION ABOUT SUICIDE IS
TYPICALLY SOMETHING THAT KIDS
HAVE ACCESS TO AT AGES THAT ARE
MUCH YOUNGER THAN PEOPLE WOULD
EXPECT AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY
HAVE IT FROM THE MEDIA, FROM
PEER TO PEER CONVERSATION OR
FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
MINNESOTA SCHOOLS LEAD THE
NATION IN BEING PROACTIVE IN
TRAINING STAFF TO IDENTIFY AND
ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
OF STUDENTS.
WE WERE THE FIRST STATE TO
HAVE EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF
MENTAL ILLNESS TRAINING FOR
TEACHERS.
THE LEGISLATURE JUST ADVANCED
SUICIDE PREVENTION MAINTAINING
AS WELL FOR TEACHERS.
NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR
PARENTS TO JOIN THE
CONVERSATION.
ANGELA DAVIS, WCCO 4 NEWS.
OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT
CONTACTED PARENTS ABOUT THE
SERIES -- WE DO HAVE MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT 13 REASONS
WHY AND THE RESOURCES THAT
ANGELA TALK TALKED ABOUT IN HER
