A Justification Of The MTV Series Skins

During the last week, MTV's show "Skins" has earned some very negative attention among media and parental groups. The original UK series has been airing for three years - and is even a BAFTA award winner - but the message hasn't been well received this side of the pond. The Parents Television Council (PTC) hasn't even viewed a full episode but claims it is "the most dangerous show for teens."

Micah Robbins, Executive Director of the youth-focused nonprofit group Drug Free Youth in Town (DFYIT), offers a different opinion of the show, that Skins can help start open and honest conversations about the issues that teens face today.

Micah would like to offer the following comment about the show "Skins":

"Skins" has its moments where it can make parents twinge quite a bit, however, it's one of the most honest portrayals of issues that teens are dealing with and how they actually deal with them in our world today.

It may be uncomfortable for some viewers but working with the number of students that we do at DFYIT (more than 10,000) and the honesty they share with us, these very are real issues these kids deal with on a daily basis. Skins is one of the first shows that deals with teen substance abuse, violence and sex in a very open manner, which is the main reason it is controversial. I appreciate that the PTC are trying to protect young people and their views certainly have merit, but their censorship takes away from the discussion and the discourse about what the real issues among young people really are.

I work on the front line of prevention in youth - teaching youth about the dangers of risky behaviors, drugs and alcohol. I work at having a place to start conversations with our young people, and that does not happen if we hide things or censor information. At DFYIT, we support open communication and talking about these issues honestly and in a straightforward fashion with youth, schools and families. So I applaud MTV for bringing the serious issues that our communities face to a wider audience. And despite the controversial message, it's a message that needs to be talked about and not banned.

Micah Robbins has over 16 years of experience working with youth and teaching them the importance of staying drug, alcohol and violence-free. Not only does Micah teach students about these dangers, he empowers youth to make good choices in all aspects of their lives. His organization, DFYIT, also encourages and rewards teen's positive behaviors and encourages a proactive involvement in their schools and communities.