WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington Middle School guidance counselors recently sent the following message to parents regarding ’13 Reasons Why,’ a new Netflix series that has become very popular with teenagers.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Recently there have been a number of concerning events in the media regarding mental health issues and suicide. As counselors at WMS, the safety of our students is our number one priority. We believe that as professionals it is our responsibility to inform parents if their student is ever in a situation that is unsafe or potentially harmful. It has come to our attention there is social media and news buzz about a Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.”
“13 Reason Why” is a series about the suicide of a 15 year-old girl and the circumstances that contributed to her decision to end her life. The series also includes scenes involving bullying, rape and substance abuse. While these topics are relevant to our middle school students, we want to caution parents that we do not recommend students watch this series. It is our professional opinion that the suicide victim is glorified and celebrated, which is not the message that should be sent to our students. The series does not provide resources for treatment or strategies for coping. Additionally, the sensitive nature of the episodes could possibly be a difficult for some students, which is also why we advise that parents not allow their child to see “13 Reasons Why.”
If your child has already watched the series, we recommend that you speak to them about what they saw. If you need support in having these types of conversations, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s counselor.
Debbie Hornung, grade 6 Adjustment Counselor
debra.hornung@wpsk12.com 978-694-6080 ext. 2072
Julie Norton, grade 7 Adjustment Counselor
Julie.norton@wpsk12.com 978-694-6080 ext. 3070
Kelly Laroche, grade 8 Adjustment Counselor
Kelly.laroche@wpsk12.com 978-694-6080 ext. 2070
Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.
Wilmington Apple 