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Okay so I was on the times online website and came across this really funny article that some schools are taking down their wi-fi systems because parents are 'worried' that their children may become ill. This really did make me laugh, first of all their is no proof that wi-fi causes 'illnesses' and the government and MOST scientists also say it's safe, I mean some parents are even saying it's like having a Mobile Phone Mast in the classroom, all these schools are 'posh' schools so I can just imagine what the parents look like who are complaining, think middle class hippies cum Greenpeace activists cum vegetarians (only on weekends ) You get the picture.
Parents and teachers are forcing some schools to dismantle wireless computer networks amid fears that they could damage children’s health.
More schools are putting transmitters in classrooms to give pupils wireless access from laptops to the school computer network and the internet.
But many parents and some scientists fear that low levels of microwave radiation emitted by the transmitters could be harmful, causing loss of concentration, headaches, fatigue, memory and behavioural problems and possibly cancer in the long term. Scientific evidence is inconclusive, but some researchers think that children are vulnerable because of their thinner skulls and developing nervous systems.
At the Prebendal School, a prestigious preparatory in Chichester, West Sussex, a group of parents lobbied the headteacher, Tim Cannell, to remove the wireless network last month. Mr Cannell told The Times: “We listened to the parents’ views and they were obviously very concerned. We also did a lot of research. The authorities say it’s safe, but there have been no long-term studies to prove this.
“We had been having problems with the reliability of it anyway, so we decided to exchange it for a conventional cabled system.â€ÂÂ
Vivienne Baron, who is bringing up Sebastian, her ten-year-old grandson, said: “I did not want Sebastian exposed to a wireless computer network at school. No real evidence has been produced to prove that this new technology is safe in the long term. Until it is, I think we should take a precautionary approach and use cabled systems.â€ÂÂ
At Ysgol Pantycelyn, a comprehensive in Carmarthenshire, parents aired their concerns to the governors, who agreed to switch off its wireless network. Hywel Pugh, the head teacher, told The Times: “The county council and central government told us that wireless networks are perfectly safe, but as there were concerns we listened to them and decided that the concerns of the parents were of greater importance than our need to have a wireless network.â€ÂÂ
Judith Davies, who has a daughter at the school, said: “Many people campaign against mobile phone masts near schools, but there is a great deal of ignorance about wireless computer networks. Yet they are like having a phone mast in the classroom and the transmitters are placed very close to the children.â€ÂÂ
Stowe School, the Buckinghamshire public school, also removed part of its wireless network after a teacher became ill. Michael Bevington, a classics teacher for 28 years at the school, said that he had such a violent reaction to the network that he was too ill to teach.
“I felt a steadily widening range of unpleasant effects whenever I was in the classroom,†he said. “First came a thick headache, then pains throughout the body, sudden flushes, pressure behind the eyes, sudden skin pains and burning sensations, along with bouts of nausea. Over the weekend, away from the classroom, I felt completely normal.â€ÂÂ
Anthony Wallersteiner, the head teacher of Stowe School, said that he was planning to put cabled networks in all new classrooms and boarding houses.
Professor Sir William Stewart, chairman of the Health Protection Agency, said that evidence of potentially harmful effects of microwave radiation had become more persuasive over the past five years. His report said that while there was a lack of hard information of damage to health, the approach should be precautionary.
A DfES spokesman said: “It’s up to individual schools to decide on this.â€ÂÂ
I suppose it could be bad but who knows? You would really have to be exposed to alot of radiation to do alot of harm. I guess its up to the schools what they do with this one.
You can get a wireless singal anywhere in our school really, althought they dont allow laptops to access the internet, I found a way of changing the proxy in internet settings so everyine can access the internet from laptops now. I dont see transmitters in every class room; Im sure there is just one transmitter for the school, althogh most teachers just plug the ethernet cable in.
Remember there are wireless networks on most service stations, (you could blame wireless networks for tired lorry drivers in service stations lol), and in most internet cafes and coffee bars/fast food restaurants, Starbucks etc (the food tastes shit i'm MacDonald's so everyone feels sick, lets blame the wireless network!)
Its the psychology im sure... if you didn't know there was a wireless network there, you wouldn't blame your headache on them or you probably wouldn't even get one lol.
Quote:
“We had been having problems with the reliability of it anyway, so we decided to exchange it for a conventional cabled system.â€ÂÂ
The wireless network at that school obviously failed, and was not the correct infrastructure/not set up properly (unlike the underused one at my school), so instead of admitting it was crap and pulling it down, they had to have some excuse for pulling out an expensive system!
Quote:
Anthony Wallersteiner, the head teacher of Stowe School, said that he was planning to put cabled networks in all new classrooms and boarding houses.
Cabled networks are more reliable but probably more expensive, in halls of residence, it is better really to have a cable, as it is easier... in our school you lose a wireless connection quite a lot. Cabled Networks are also faster for file transfer (54Mb/c vs 100Mb/s) and a single long range wireless router can cost a lot.
There is enough pollutants from the mass industrialization caused by humans' need for things that it's gotten to the point in some places where holding a radioactive battery to your head so you can talk to your friends isn't anymore dangerous than breathing.
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