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Mary Kate Frank To Help Or Not To Tell Analysis

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According to yssp.org (Youth Suicide Prevention Program), about 5,000 people between the ages of 10 - 24 commit suicide every year. According to "To Tell or Not to Tell", about 70% of those people told someone about their plans or gave warning signs. If teens weren't so afraid to tell on someone who's health was at risk, about 3,500 of those young people that commit suicide every year would probably still be alive. Is losing someone as a friend really worse than that friend losing their life when you could’ve done something about it? Although there are teens in “To Tell or Not to Tell?” by Mary Kate Frank that have argued that you should tell no one when a person’s health is in danger because you might lose friends, closer examination shows that you should tell because it could save that person’s life. In “To Tell or Not to Tell” by Mary Kate Frank, it …show more content…

In “To Tell or Not to Tell?” by Mary Kate Frank, it states, “On a summer night in 2012, the 18-year-old Carmel, Indiana, teen [Brett Finbloom] passed out at a friends house after drinking vodka. Unable to rouse him, Brett’s friends delayed calling for help for fear they would get arrested for underage drinking.” One of the teenagers eventually called 911, but never actually told the officer who arrived what exactly happened. Brett died a few days later. Unfortunately, the teens did not know about Indiana’s Lifeline Law. According to Mary Kate Frank, “...Indiana’s Lifeline Law… provides immunity for alcohol-related offenses by minors. In other words, if you call 911 for a friend and stay on the scene to provide info, you won’t get in trouble.” Brett’s death was preventable. However, it did have some positive effects. Mr. and Mrs. Finbloom are spreading the word about what to do if they are ever in a situation like Brett’s. They are also begging teens to do the right thing and call for help when something bad

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