Parents in York Region are calling upon the school board to remove wireless devices from the classroom and, in one case, have plans to pull their children from schools, citing potential health concerns from the World Health Organization.
Parent groups held a protest event outside York Regional District School Board’s (YRDSB) offices late last month.
“Even on Health Canada’s website, it says long-term studies need to be done to prove the effects of the exposure [of wireless devices],” said Lynette Haralampopoulos, an MRI technologist and organizer of the protest. “But those have not been done. So now, our kids are pretty much the study.”
Reports from the World Health Organization say radio frequencies emitted from wireless signals exist in a grey area and that, whereas they pose a potential health risk, more research is required to determine whether they are hazardous or not.
According to the YRDSB, until there is evidence to prove otherwise, wireless devices will remain in their schools.
“We look to public health authorities to get advice on these issues,” said Ross Virgo, senior manager of public affairs and communications at YRDSB. “None of these bodies agree that Wi-Fi poses a risk to human health.”
As part of their list of demands, Haralampopoulos said parents want transparency from the school board, which refused to meet with her, she added.
But according to Virgo, his staff has responded to parents who have called and e-mailed the board with concerns.
Haralampopoulos also said she intends to pull her three children from school because they have been experiencing pressure headaches. “We’re going to pull our kids,” she said. “At this point, it doesn’t really matter what [the YRDSB] does. We know it’s harmful. My sons … are experiencing tinnitus and pressure headaches. Every night, when they go to sleep, it’s annoying for them.”
With two boys in Grades 4 and 6 at Oak Ridges Public School and a daughter in Grade 1 at Windham Ridge Public School, Haralampopoulos said they will be put at a disadvantage.
Virgo agreed and said, “We would hope that parents exercise good judgment around the importance of having their children remain in school and the importance of remaining connected to the curriculum.”