Marietta Schools Sends Warning To Parents About Netflix's '13 Reasons Why'

MARIETTA, GA -- A new Netflix series that delves into teen suicide has prompted one Cobb County school district to issue a warning to parents, Patch has learned. Marietta Schools superintendent Grant Rivera reportedly sent an e-mail to parents Wednesday afternoon that said the popular show "13 Reasons Why" may be linked to several local cases of students being emotionally stressed.

The show "13 Reasons Why," a 13-episode drama about a girl who, through a series of tapes, posthumously tells her friends why she committed suicide, is a bona fide hit for Netflix. But the show has been criticized for glamorizing suicide and its graphic depiction of rape, prompting a rating of TV-MA for mature audiences.

On Wednesday, the streaming service announced that it was adding a trigger warning before each episode, part of a plan for “additional advisories” in response to the outcry, Buzzfeed reports.

“While many of our members find the show to be a valuable driver for starting important conversation with their families, we have also heard concern from those who feel the series should carry additional advisories,” Netflix said in a statement, according to the website.

Against this background, Rivera reached out to the district's parents, telling them some students in Marietta have shown signs of "suicide ideation" in light of the series. The correspondence, published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is below:

Dear MCS Family:

I feel compelled to reach out to each of you regarding the recent Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why.”
If you are not aware, this thematic series is described (according to the official Netflix website) as follows: “After a teenage girl’s perplexing suicide, a classmate receives a series of tapes that unravel the mystery of her tragic choice.”
As a superintendent, it is not my place to pass judgment on the Netflix series or its appropriateness in your home for school-aged children. I do however feel a responsibility to make sure our MCS families are aware of the popularity of this show and resources to support our students and families. In recent days, MCS personnel have reported an increase in the number of students manifesting severe emotional distress, hyper vigilance, and, in some isolated cases, suicide ideation (several of whom have specifically referenced the Netflix series).
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has issued cautions and considerations for educators and parents, as well as additional resources to support discussions about suicide with adolescents. For more information, please refer to the NASP website.
If Marietta City Schools can better support you or your child, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s counselor (contact information for each school counselor is provided in the attachment). If you have an immediate need, please contact the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.

Netflix said that in addition to the advisory, it will add a viewer warning card "before the first episode as an extra precaution for those about to start the series and have also strengthened the messaging and resource language in the existing cards for episodes that contain graphic subject matter.”

Image via Netflix / "13 Reasons Why" / Youtube

The show is based on a 2007 novel that hit No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list in July 2011.