Bellmore-Merrick High School District advises parents about '13 Reasons Why'

All six schools in the Bellmore-Merrick School District have sent letters to parents advising them about the trending Netflix series about teenage suicide, “13 Reasons Why.”

The first scene of the 13-part series opens with a close-up shot of a locker covered in vibrantly colored notes and photos of a teenage girl named Hannah Baker. We learn that she is the narrator and that she has killed herself. The narration comes from 13 cassette tapes that she left behind after her death. Each one is addressed to an individual whom she says is responsible for her death.

The series is writer/producer Brian Yorkey’s take on Jay Asher’s 2007 bestselling novel. It has been hailed for its artistry, but widely panned by suicide experts for its graphic depiction of Hannah’s suicide. According to many mental health professionals, the more graphic the depiction of a suicide, the more likely it is to lead to “copycat” suicides.

Bellmore-Merrick District principals argued in the letter against the series’ portrayal of bullying and suicide prevention in schools. The letter reads, “We want you to know that all members of our guidance, administrative and teaching faculties will always be responsive to our students, especially those who call out for help.”

The letters also provides a series of educational links, the first to a list of 13 facts debunking the show’s understanding of bullying and suicide prevention, which was published by the American Psychiatric Association. The next is to a statement by the National Association of School Psychologists, warning vulnerable youth not to watch the show. A third and final link, published by Suicide Awareness Voices in Education, is to a guide called “13 Reasons Why Talking Points.” It promotes open dialogue between parents and children about the show, stating that Baker’s suicide “is a cautionary tale. [It is] not meant to appear heroic and should be viewed as a tragedy.”

Joanna Wallis Laverty, a lifelong Bellmore resident with an eighth-grader at Grand Avenue Middle School, had a different take on the series. Laverty commended it for promoting parent-child conversations that would otherwise remain taboo. “It’s important to open up the discussion with your child,” she said, adding that those who criticize the series appear more worried about how viewers perceive the content.

The Herald conducted a poll on the Bellmore Moms Facebook page, asking whether participants would be comfortable letting their children watch “13 Reasons Why.” Over the course of one day:

• 54 percent responded by saying, “Yes, I would let my child watch the show.”
• 29 percent said, “Yes, but I would watch it with him/her.”
• 17 percent said, “No, it’s a dangerous depiction of the relationship between bullying and suicide.”

The show’s co-producer, pop star Selena Gomez, told E! News that she supports the show’s content, despite the controversy it has caused. “I just wanted it to come across in a way that kids would be frightened, but confused — in a way that they would talk about it because it’s something that’s happening all the time,” she said. Gomez is featured in a documentary called “Beyond the Reasons,” which aired along with the Netflix series and includes a dialogue among cast members, producers and mental health professionals about the show’s mature content.

Some experts warn, however, that the show can create the false impression among viewers that suicide is a solution to ending bullying and the psychic pain it causes.

Theresa Buhse, associate executive director of the Bellmore-based Long Island Crisis Center, expressed that concern. In each of Baker’s tapes, she holds a peer accountable for her death. Buhse found fault in this and said that the LICC often tells students, “No one person can make another person take their life.” She added that bullying is not the cause of suicide, but it can be a factor, just like substance use and poor family relations. In all cases, she said that it can be prevented. 

She added that the LICC, which operates a suicide prevention hotline and holds anti-bullying programs in schools, has received a number of e-mails with the similar concerns about the show.