NPR

Facts About Teens, Suicide And '13 Reasons Why'

As the Netflix series sparks a national discussion, new research shows 1 in 5 middle and high schoolers have thoughts of suicide, and offers suggestions for adults in fighting the problem.
Actress Katherine Langford (left), who plays Hannah, a high school student who kills herself after enduring much bullying, and actress Alisha Boe (Jessica) sit in the counselor's office on <em>13 Reasons Why</em>.

It was in a school in the South Bronx a few weeks ago that I first heard about the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. The TV show, released at the end of March and based on a best-selling young adult novel, depicts a teenager who kills herself. She experiences sexual assault, cyberbullying and inadequate responses from adults, and she leaves messages for the classmates and others whom she holds responsible for her suicide.

Educators, parents and school counselors are raising the alarm that the show, reading in part:

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