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Greetings from St Bede's

Mr Justin Boyle —

There has been a positive start to the second term and the cooler weather reminding us of the arrival of the winter season. A good many students and staff have taken advantage of the Flu vaccinations this week as well.

Four weeks ago a Netflix drama series – 13 REASONS WHY, screened. This drama series was adapted from a book exploring a number of issues affecting young people, including suicide. It has provoked a great deal of comment, not only here in New Zealand, but in many countries overseas.

I received a heads-up from Health Professionals in Christchurch about the series, with many concerned about the programme. This show has been watched by large numbers of people (younger and older) in New Zealand and across the world.

The New Zealand office of Film and Literature Classification has looked closely at the series and has responded with a review of the series and a new rating. Below is an extract from their response and a link which will take you to the full discussion and reasoning behind the rating:

‘’All of the young people in 13 Reasons Why feel unable to enter into an open dialogue with the adults in their lives, or feel (often rightly) that the adults in their lives do not respond in appropriate or helpful ways when they do try to engage with them: this has palpably negative outcomes for all of them. This is a nuanced show that asks a lot of questions, and raises a lot of issues, but often fails to either answer or fully address them. Therefore, discussion needs to occur outside the series itself, and guidance needs to be offered to young people viewing this series by a trusted and appropriate adult.

It is for these reasons that the Classification Office has placed a restriction on this series, limiting it to those eighteen years or older unless supervised by an adult viewer. We have considered whether an RP16 or R16 could be an appropriate classification, but these classifications would not address the harm caused to sixteen and seventeen year olds (who are at statistically greater risk of suicide).

This classification allows the intended audience of young people to continue to access the series, while providing the necessary intervention of adult supervision in order to keep them safe and sufficiently navigate the relevant but troubling issues that we acknowledge as a part of their lived reality. ‘’

http://www.classificationoffice.govt.nz/blog/blog-13-reasons-why.html

I would like to provide two links to articles on this programme:

  • Shaun Robinson is the head of NZ Mental Health Foundation. Shaun suggests 13 ways you can start a conversation with young people about the issues raised by the controversial hit show.

http://thespinoff.co.nz/parenting/20-04-2017/13-conversations-to-have-about-13-reasons-why/

  • Jaelae Skehan is the Director at the Hunter Institute of Mental Health, Australia. Jaelea has written an excellent article about this programme, “Six Reasons Why I’m Concerned About the TV Series”

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-reasons-why-im-concerned-tv-series-jaelea-skehan

If you have any concerns about your son or a friend/classmate he may know, please contact one of the following Pastoral staff members:

  • Lindsay Thorn (Counsellor)
  • Vanessa Tyson (Nurse/Boarding Staff Manager)
  • Rachel Pitcaithly (Ministry Co-ordinator)
  • Fr Allan Jones
  • House Tutors: Calie Cron, Natalie Todd, Chris Hubble, Jacqueline MacKean, Dai Williams.

Until next week

Justin Boyle
Rector