THE NETFLIX SERIES 13 REASONS WHY HAS
SPARKED A LOT OF CONTROVERSY AND SOME CONCERN FROM SCHOOLS AND
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CLAIMING THE SHOW MIGHT
SENSATIONALIZE SUICIDE AND ACTUALLY PUT A LOT OF VULNERABLE
TEENS AT RISK.
THE GIRL
IN THE SHOW, HER NAME IS HANNAH BAKER.
JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME BACKGROUND.
BASICALLY THE SERIES
IS A STORY OF A GIRL WHO COMMITS SUICIDE AND SHE SENDS THESE
FILES TO 13 PEOPLE BASICALLY SAYING THE REASONS WHY SHE
COMMITTED SUICIDE.
THEY RANGE
FROM BULLYING, THIS IS GOING TO BE A SPOILER SORRY ñ BULLYING,
SEXUAL ASSAULT, SLUT SHAMING, DRUNK DRIVING, ALL SORTS OF
DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT GETS INTO SOME HEAVY MATERIAL, ESPECIALLY
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
NETFLIX HAS
RESPONDED TO CONCERNS BY SAYING
THIS ñ
IN A STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGISTS THEY SAY THIS ñ
SUICIDE IS A HUGE ISSUE IN OUR
COUNTRY.
THIS SHOW, WHEN YOU'RE
WATCHING ON NETFLIX, ESPECIALLY YOUNG KIDS WHO THIS IS
TARGETED TOWARDS ñ SELENA GOMEZ IS A COEXECUTIVE PRODUCER ñ
KIDS ARE GOING TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IT ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE
ALREADY SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
>> ON THE ONE HAND WHEN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGISTS SAY IT IS NOT HANDLED APPROPRIATELY, WHAT THEY
ARE INSINUATING IS THIS WOULD BE
A BETTER SHOW IF EVERYONE IN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY,
ESPECIALLY ADULTS, HANDLED IT PERFECTLY.
THAT HAPPENS A LOT OF
THE TIME.
TO THEIR CREDIT THEY SAY THEY HAVE THINGS IN PLACE TO
MAKE SURE THEY DO THAT.
HOWEVER, IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS IT JUST
DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY AND THIS
HIGHLIGHTS IT.
THEY DO DO A GOOD JOB IN THIS AT POINTING OUT
THEY
NEED TO TELL KIDS THIS.
THEY ALSO SAY THE AVERAGE KID IS
PROBABLY GOING TO HANDLE THIS THE RIGHT WAY BUT YOU HAVE TO BE
CAREFUL FOR THAT ONE CHILD THAT MAY COMMIT SUICIDE.
>> I HAVE NOT SEEN IT BUT I DO PLAN ON WATCHING IT.
FROM WHAT I
UNDERSTAND IS THAT IF YOU GO FORWARD AND PORTRAY THE BEST
POSSIBLE OUTCOME, YOU WILL NOT HAVE A SHOW THAT IS GOING TO
PORTRAY SOMETHING THAT IS MORE
REALISTIC BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO PORTRAY THE BEST CASE
SCENARIO, WHICH WE WOULD ALL
LIKE TO PORTRAY.
FROM THE SHOW'S POINT OF VIEW, THESE PEOPLE ARE
OUT TO MAKE MONEY AND GET PEOPLE TO WATCH THIS SHOW.
>>NOT NETFLIX.
THE ANSWER IS NOT NETFLIX.
THEY HAVE LOST A SHIT TON OF MONEY OVER ITS LIFE.
>> IS A DUMB ASS BUT GOING TO BE THERE IF YOU PORTRAY SOMETHING
THAT WAS PLANNED OUT?
I'M NOT SAYING IT IS RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT
HOW MANY MOVIES OUT THERE
PORTRAY THE BEST CASE SCENARIO?
HOW MANY TIMES HAS IT BEEN
BLAMED THAT GUNS ARE THE SOLE FOCUS FOR THIS CAUSE?
I
UNDERSTAND THERE IS STUFF THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT THESE
PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO MAKE AN INTRIGUING SHOW.
>>I GET IT.
I DO THINK THERE IS A VALUE IN ART PORTRAYING
THINGS.
BUT IT IS A RELIEF IN LINE WHEN YOU ARE MARKETING
SOMETHING TOWARDS KIDS WHO ARE IMPRESSIONABLE AND YOU ARE NOT
PROVIDING SOME OF THE ADEQUATE
EDUCATION AROUND IT.
THEY JUST ñ
I WISH THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.
>>REALLY QUICK, IT IS NOT A DESTINATION.
SAYING THIS IS SENSATIONALIZING SUICIDE- IT IS PART OF
THE CONVERSATION.
COMMUNICATE TO KIDS THAT SUICIDE IS NOT A SOLUTION.
ALSO READ THE STATEMENT BECAUSE IT OUTLINES INDICATORS THAT
CHILDREN MIGHT BE CONSIDERING SUICIDE.
>>LASTLY, I WANT TO PROVIDE ANYONE THAT IS WATCHING THIS, IF
THEY
ARE HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.