"13 Reasons Why" Is it Middle School appropriate??
I have had a number of parents ask me if the Netflix
show, “13 Reasons Why” is appropriate viewing for a middle school student. Having watched the first season last year,
and the second season just recently, my answer is – not without adult accompaniment. It’s really more appropriate for older high
school students, however, the majority of the viewing audience is,
interestingly, middle school age. While there are some good messages and very
relevant topics addressed, the content is VERY explicit and graphic in nature
that will be disturbing for younger viewers (heck, I was horribly disturbed
myself). The series depicts high school
students engaging in sex, watching pornography, drug and alcohol misuse, rape,
bullying, swearing, suicide, and horrifying violence. My recommendation is to watch it yourself first.
Many parents react strongly to the content, and come away with a firm
opinion about whether they feel their child can get past the disturbing content
to get to the message.
Like I said,
there are relevant topics portrayed that we deal with in middle school –
bullying, cyberbullying, mental health issues, self-harm, suicidal ideation,
academic pressures, family dysfunction, substance misuse in the home, struggles
with gender and sexual identity, and homelessness. Having an opportunity to engage in open,
honest discussion with your child about such issues is certainly valuable, and
parents have identified this as a benefit of watching it with their child. But the only one who can determine if it is
appropriate is you, and I would again strongly recommend to watch it yourself
first, even if your child insists, “Everyone is watching it!!”
If you decide to watch it with your child, there are
some conversation starters that can be found in the “13 Reasons Why” discussion
guide at 13reasonswhy.info Here are a
few to get you started:
- · What do you think about what happened in this episode?
- · Do you think the characters in the show are behaving in ways that are similar to people you know? How so? How are they different?
- · Did parts of the story make you think about how people who are struggling do not show the full picture of what they are dealing with to others?
- · What did you learn about “so-and-so character’s” situation from this episode? For example, what did you learn about what happened to Jessica and sexual assault?”
- · How does what you have seen change how you view some things that happen in real life?
- · Do you think the adults did anything wrong? What could they have done better?
Please keep in mind students’ personal struggles often
come to light when triggered by a tragic event, uncomfortable experience, or
viewing/hearing a form of media (tv show, film, music, etc.) that touches on
sensitive topics. It’s important for
peers, families, and school staff to be on the lookout for warning signs that a
student needs support:
- · Changes in school performance (e.g. grades, attendance)
- · Changes in mood
- · Increased disciplinary problems
- · Complaints of illness
- · Problems experienced at home or family situations (stress, trauma, divorce, substance misuse, poverty, domestic violence)
- · Communication from teachers about problems at school
- · Withdrawal
- · Difficulty dealing with existing mental health concerns
I am including a list of websites for further
reference. We at KRMS are here to assist
you and your student. Please feel free to contact us with further questions or
concerns! 927-2100
Netflix "13 Reasons Why" Resources
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The National Center for Victims of Crime
Coalition to Support Grieving Students
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
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