Is it true that was there a degrassi before degrassi the next generation based on the following text?

Degrassi: The Next Generation (later renamed Degrassi for seasons ten through fourteen) is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. It is the fourth series in the Degrassi franchise, following The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and Degrassi High. Like its predecessors, the series follows an ensemble cast of students at the fictional Degrassi Community School who face various challenges often seen as taboo such as sex, teen pregnancy, bullying, date rape, drug abuse, body image, homosexuality, domestic violence, gang violence, self-injury, suicide, abortion, mental disorders, death, and many other issues.
yes