by Jim Boyle
Editor
Elk River Area School District administrators sent an electronic letter home to parents this week about a controversial drama on Netflix, “13 Reasons Why.”
The series reportedly details the life of a high school student who faces many struggles and ultimately dies by a completed suicide.
Portions of the topics depicted in the series are very graphic. This has created much discussion about critical issues such as bullying, sexual assault and suicide.
“Debate centers around whether the series ‘13 Reason Why’ accurately portrays the support available to those struggling with mental health and/or suicidal thoughts or negatively impacts vulnerable students,” the letter to parents states.
Interim Superintendent Bruce Watkins said District 728 routinely shares information with parents and students on the topics of mental health and wellness, stress, depression and suicide and strategies to deal with such matters.
Watkins said earlier this year when a student from one of the district’s middle schools committed suicide was one of those times.
As part of its response, the district brought in Deb Link, a presenter and therapist and mediator from Ascend Family Institute in Rogers. She talked to parents, guardians and concerned adults about the well-being of children, focusing on children’s mental health and suicide awareness.
Another difficult time for schools is when students are touched by suicide in their family, including those who lose a parent to a completed suicide.
When talk of the Netflix series built up, educators and other professionals decided it was time to reach out again.
When discussing this topic with your student, parents and adults were encouraged to consider using several resources and were provided the following links:
•National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), http://bit.ly/2oYiPWu.
•“13 Reasons Why”: Talking Points JED Foundation, http://bit.ly/2okd8ne.
•Warning Signs, http://bit.ly/2pzgQKa.
•ISD 728 Bullying Prevention, http://bit.ly/2oZnFpK.
•Hotline: Text LIFE to 61222, txt4life.org.
•National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).