Wake schools officials issue warning about second season of Netflix's '13 Reasons Why'

The Wake County Public School System has again issued a warning for parents about the popular Netflix series "13 Reasons Why," which will release its second season this month.

The show is based on the 2007 young adult novel by Jay Asher of the same name. The first season, which came out last spring, tells the story of Hannah Baker, a high school student who, before killing herself, sends cassette tapes to classmates detailing the 13 reasons behind her decision.

When it was released last year, mental health experts and school officials across the country raised alarms about the show's graphic depiction of suicide and the fact that it highlighted few resources for teens and others who may be struggling with depression or trauma or may have experience with previous suicidal behavior. Soon after the first season came out, at least one local suicide prevention line saw a spike in calls.

Wake schools officials, in an email sent to parents Friday, let parents know that their kids may be watching the series again.

"We want to bring this to your attention because we have found many of our students have already watched some of the series, have heard about it, or are asking questions about it," the email said. "Importantly, there are indications that young people are watching or re-watching the first season in order to 'be up to speed' for the second season."

The email said: "The National Association of School Psychologists strongly recommends that vulnerable children and youth (such as those struggling with depression, previous suicidal behavior, or trauma) not watch the first season, and most certainly not alone."

"While we don't know the exact storylines for the second season, possible topics set up at the end of the first season could include another suicide attempt, a rape trial and a school shooting," the email says.

"This miniseries attempts to address many topics that can lead to important conversations with students, such as bullying, cyber-bullying, assault, rape, and suicide," Wake schools officials write. "However, aspects of the miniseries have gone against the recommendations of mental health professionals and suicide prevention models."

It goes on to say the following:

"After reviewing season 1, our WCPSS mental health professionals recommended students not watch the series. Having not previewed the second season, we do not know if Netflix followed recommendations from mental health professionals to responsibly address these extremely sensitive topics. If your student is going to or has already watched either season, we encourage you to watch it together and discuss your reactions to the issues raised in the series. It is important for adults to be aware of what children and youth in their care are watching. This includes monitoring access to content via televisions, computers, tablets, and mobile devices."

Wake schools shared these resources for parents:

Wake schools' statement shares that the system has a suicide prevention program called Signs of Suicide in all middle and high schools. Trained school staff also work daily, Friday's email says, to prevent suicide by recognizing and assisting students who show warning signs or risk factors, which can include:

"WCPSS professionals screen identified students, notify parents/guardians, and connect them with community services when appropriate to address their needs," it says. "We watch, we listen, we understand, and we do it without judgment. We never want students to feel that suicide is the solution to a problem."