American doctors caution Peel board

American doctors caution Peel board

Wi-Fi concerns. Peel District School Board Education Director Tony Pontes has told the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) that the school board does not share the same health concerns it has about the installation of Wi-Fi in schools. File photo by Roger Belgrave

An American-based medical association has added its voice to those of Peel parents expressing health concerns with the Peel board’s widespread installation of Wi-Fi in schools.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)has written to Peel District School Board Education Director Tony Pontes and Chair Janet McDougald cautioning them about installing wireless networks boardwide.
The computer networks allow electronic devices to exchange data wirelessly by using radio waves.
As part of a multi-million dollar technology plan, the board is installing Wi-Fi in all its schools. According to board officials, about half of the 239 public schools in Peel already have Wi-Fi. Full installation is expected by the late fall of this year.
Some parents have told the school board and trustees they have concerns wireless networks may expose their children to radiation emitted by wireless signals.
The AAEM, based in Wichita, Kansas, describes itself as an international association of physicians and other professionals interested in the health of humans as it relates to their environments. 
The organization said it provides research and education in the recognition, treatment and prevention of illnesses induced by exposures to biological and chemical agents in air, food and water.  
“To install this widespread wireless internet access system in Peel District schools risks a widespread public health hazard that the medical system is not yet prepared to address,” the AAEM told the school board.
The AAEM noted that in May 2011 the World Health Organization elevated exposure to wireless radiation, including WiFi, onto the Class 2b list of possible carcinogens.
Debate in the medical and scientific communities continues about the health hazards posed by Wi-Fi and the long-term effects of exposure to wireless technology. While some consider the health risks minimal others are sounding an alarm bell.
According to the board, all wireless equipment in Peel schools comply with Health Canada’s Safety Code and is considered safe for students and staff.
Pontes has told the AAEM and parents that misinformation and misleading references are fueling concerns that the board does not share.
“To date, based on numerous scientific studies on radio frequency exposure and its impact on human health, we feel assured that there remains no evidence of negative health effects of Wi-Fi,” Pontes said in his response to the AAEM, which had references to test findings and statements from organizations such as Health Canada, theWorld Health Organization, Public Health Ontario and Industry Canada.
The board has posted information on its use of Wi-Fi and sent out responses to commonly asked questions in a newsletter, in an effort to allay concerns as well as detail its installation plan. 

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