The B.C. government is defending its decision to advise teachers not to play the heartbreaking YouTube video teenager Amanda Todd uploaded just weeks before committing suicide.
The Ministry of Education says the recommendation, which was emailed to school districts just days after Todd took her own life, was designed to prevent further suicides.
“This is a ‘traumatic event’ that is already contributing to an increase in suicidal ideation among some vulnerable students throughout the province and beyond,” the Oct. 14 memo reads.
“By showing it in the classroom, it may even further add to the justification process of suicidal behaviour.”
The video in question has so far been viewed more than 20 million times on YouTube.
The email cited advice from two leading provincial trainers from the ERASE Bullying Strategy – advice which Minister Don McRae insisted was not obligatory.
The minister said he expects teachers will exercise their own autonomy, and admits most students have likely already seen the footage.
“Chances are most young people have actually seen it already, so maybe if teachers don’t want to show it they can actually talk about it," McRae said.
But registered clinical counselor Tabasom Eblaghie, who specializes in bullying and suicide, disagrees with the province’s expert advice – she says it’s important to keep talking.
“Dialogue is always good. We do need to be having conversations about this,” Eblaghie said. “At the same time, who’s holding these conversations? And are they equipped to be holding these conversations with these children? Are there messages being given to them that actually could be dangerous to them?”
A community forum against bullying is planned for Wednesday night in Coquitlam. It’s likely Amanda Todd’s video will once again play a role.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Julia Foy
