'13 Reasons Why': West Chester Superintendent Warns Parents of Netflix Series

WEST CHESTER, PA -- Netflix's '13 Reasons Why' tackles issues like teen suicide, depression, and bullying, but all students may not be benefiting from the show, according to West Chester School District Superintendent Jim Scanlon.

The show, which tells the story of a 17-year-old girl who leaves behind audio recordings describing why she decided to commit suicide, has allegedly upset many students in the district. According to Scanlon, several middle and high school students have sought out help from school counselors after watching the show.

"While we always welcome the chance to discuss these issues with our students, we are concerned about the negative impact it may be having on some children," Scanlon said in a letter. "Their health and welfare are always our top priority."

With suicide being the third-leading cause of death among ages 10 to 24, many mental health experts are concerned with the show's content. Those outside the expert community have also raised concerns about the show. A recent Rolling Stone opinion piece said the show could glamorize teen suicide and does not paint an accurate picture of the tragedy.

"Dead is dead, and as much as it may be hard to portray that on screen, 13 Reasons Why fails to end the last episode with closure," wrote Alexa Curtis of the Rolling Stone. "For teens who are battling mental health issues, witnessing the end of a life as easily as the show portrayed it could help desensitize kids to this very serious matter."

Scanlon said that the school district is not planning any specific in-class programming regarding the series, but that counselors would continue to be available for all students.

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The National Association of School Psychologists has compiled information on the series for both parents and educators. It's available here.

With reporting from Patch correspondent Joe Lipovich

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