The Netflix series 13 Reasons Why Season 2 is now available for viewing

Posted on May 25, 2018 by ISB Parent Portal

Dear Parents/Guardians:

The Netflix series 13 Reasons Why Season 2 is now available for viewing. Last year we shared our concerns about season 1, which many students watched without adult knowledge or presence. Like season 1, season 2 deals with mature themes, including a suicide, self-harm, date rape, bullying and harassment, alcohol and drug use, and extreme violence. The intense, graphic portrayal of these difficult issues involving youth present both the risk of triggering harmful behaviors among some vulnerable youth and the opportunity for adults to engage in meaningful and supportive discussions with youth about these issues.  

We encourage you to talk with your children about the show and, if they are going to watch it, to do so with them. While Netflix has added more safeguards to the series, these are not a substitute for adult involvement. A consortium of education and mental health organizations has created an online toolkit with guidance, talking points and other resources specific to the series and issues portrayed https://www.13reasonswhytoolkit.org/parents.

The following guidance for families from the National Association of School Psychologists also may help you support your children:

  • Ask your child[ren] if they have heard about or seen the series 13 Reasons Why. While we don’t recommend that they be encouraged to view the series, do tell them you want to watch it with them or to catch up, and discuss their thoughts.

  • Be willing and prepared to engage in conversations about these issues with your child[ren], including asking if they have witnessed or experienced any of the circumstances portrayed, what their thoughts and feelings are, and how they think adults could help.

  • Listen to your children’s comments without judgment. Doing so requires that you fully concentrate, understand, respond, and then remember what is being said. Put your own agenda aside.

  • If they exhibit any of the warning signs [below], don’t be afraid to ask if they have thought about suicide or if someone is hurting them. Raising the issue of suicide does not increase the risk or plant the idea. On the contrary, it creates the opportunity to offer help.

  • Ask your child[ren] if they think any of their friends or classmates exhibit warning signs. Talk with them about how to seek help for their friend or classmate. Guide them on how to respond when they see or hear any of the warning signs.

  • Get help from a school-employed or community-based mental health professional if you are concerned for your child’s safety or the safety of one of their peers.

Some of the warning signs that an individual, even a child, is in emotional distress or thinking about suicide are:

  • Direct (“I am going to kill myself”) or indirect (“I wish things would stop”) threats of suicide, both verbal and in writing.  Many of these threats are made online or using social media.

  • Giving away prized possessions.

  • Dramatic change in eating or sleeping habits (either too much or too little).

  • Withdrawal and isolation from friends and family.

  • Changes in behavior, appearance, hygiene, thoughts, or feelings.  A person who typically is sad and suddenly is very happy or at ease is a warning sign.

All warning signs should be taken seriously. If you are concerned about your child, please contact their school counselor or a school psychologist. School counselors and psychologists are also happy to share information about mental health resources in Bangkok. The ISB School Psychologists maintain the Bangkok Community Resources website.  In an emergency, you should go directly to an emergency room.

School counselors and psychologists are available if you have any questions about how to support your children. Thank you for partnering with us to support the social-emotional health and wellbeing of our students.

Sincerely,

ISB Counseling Team

 

School Counselors:   

ES                                                               MS                                             HS

Kate Kersey Ext. 5506             Colleen Coady Ext. 4443        Kevin Callahan Ext. 3313

Ellen Thomas Ext. 5574           Karen Kinsella Ext. 4444        Kevin Davy Ext. 3313   

Doug Williamson Ext. 5508     Jackie Valenzuela Ext. 3313

                                

                                     

School Psychologists:

Ryan Ruhl Ext. 4412 (ES & MS)

Cindy Warner-Dobrowski Ext. 4486 (HS)

Suicide Prevention Resources:

  1. For Thai language call: 1667 or 1323 – both numbers are Provided by Department of Mental Health and are staffed 24 hour per day, 7 days per week by trained professionals

  2. For international suicide prevention resources, see the Resources page of the 13 Reasons Why Toolkit website by SAVE

 

Addition Resources you may find helpful:

  1. Adults and students should know risk factors and warning signs of suicide risk. Always take warning signs seriously, and never promise to keep them secret. See Save a Friend: Tips for Teens to Prevent Suicide, Communicating With Potentially Suicidal Students, and Safe Messaging for Students for additional information.

  2. For Thai language call: 1667 or 1323 – both numbers are Provided by Department of Mental Health and are staffed 24 hour per day, 7 days per week by trained professionals

  3. “13 Reasons Why” Netflix Series(Season 1): Considerations for Educators and Families

Websites

For more information, visit www.nasponline.org/13reasonswhy and www.13reasonswhytoolkit.org.

 
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