LETTERS

Safe ways to mitigate harms from wireless radiation

Posted 5/31/22

To the Editor,

Are Cranston Schools TechSafe?

 The American Academy of Pediatrics, in a letter to the Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dated July 12, 2012, …

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LETTERS

Safe ways to mitigate harms from wireless radiation

Posted

To the Editor,


Are Cranston Schools TechSafe?

 The American Academy of Pediatrics, in a letter to the Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dated July 12, 2012, stated in regard to cell phone use: “The AAP believes the inquiry to reassess the [non-ionizing radiofrequency] radiation standard presents an opportunity to review its impacts on children’s health and well-being. In the past, such standards have generally been based on the impact of exposure on an adult male.

Children, however, are not little adults and are disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. In fact, according to IARC [the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization], when used by children, the average RF [radiofrequency] energy deposition is two times higher in the brain and 10 times higher in the bone marrow of the skull, compared with mobile phone use by adults.” Harmful effects of cell phone radiation, combined with the use of other handheld wireless devices, as well as routers in classrooms, pose cumulative risks to children and pregnant women.

That the FCC has failed to update its “safety” guidelines for wireless radiation since 1996, when few people even used cell phones, resulted in a landmark ruling against the FCC on August 13, 2021. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the December 2019 decision by the FCC to retain its 1996 safety limits for human exposure to wireless radiation was “arbitrary and capricious.”

The court further ruled that the FCC failed to address:

  • impacts of long term wireless exposure
  • impacts to children,
  • the testimony of people injured by wireless radiation,
  • impacts to wildlife and the environment
  • impacts to the developing brain and reproduction.

Does this mean that schools should abandon access to the internet? Not at all.

There are efficient and effective ways to mitigate the harms from wireless radiation by hard-wiring all devices. The national group TechSafe Schools reached out to school districts all over the country to provide materials that schools can use to protect their students and staff. I volunteered to be the local contact person in Cranston. TechSafe Schools recently sent valuable information to Superintendent Nota-Masse. I made several attempts to contact her office with background information. I have not heard back. I urge parents and teachers to investigate for themselves. TechSafe Schools has a website with many resources. Please inform yourselves and speak up on behalf of Cranston’s students.


Sheila Resseger

Cranston

letters, editorial

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