‘DEGRASSI’ CUT COPIERS

June 1, 2004 — A popular teen TV show is being blamed for a rash of student self-mutilations.
Ten students between the ages of 10 and 13 at a Canadian school apparently cut themselves with sharp objects over a three-day period in April after watching a character cut herself on an episode of the cable TV show “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” according to published reports.

School staff noticed that seven students had minor cuts to their bodies. The next day, three more students came to school with cuts.

The children said they cut themselves after seeing it done on the show the day before, officials said.

School officials said the wounds were superficial and didn’t require medical treatment, but parents were immediately notified and staffers met with the entire student body.

Plans are being set to send a letter to other schools, warning them about what happened.

In the episode the students watched, a girl mutilates herself, but a friend finds out and talks her into seeking help.