Concern over Parents reponses to Panorama

Posted Monday, May 21, 2007 10:16 PM by kent-teachers

Emails sent by concerned staff:

"I've just watched the TV and it is pretty damming on WiFi. I'm really concerned as our school is one of the 50% of Primarys using WiFi and the advice is to ask schools to stop using it from proven evidence.
As a school, we are concerned about parents responses tomorrow and were hoping that Kent would be able to come up with a statement and advice for schools."

"Obviously heard the news and saw the BBC Panorama programme this evening
about the possible harmful effects of using Wi-fi technology in schools.

Interested to know what the Kent party line is on the use of this technology."

Becta's WiFi statement
http://news.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=33517

Panorama has already been criticised for its piece on wi-fi by the Guardian.
See Alan Day's post for more information on why  BBC Panorama's evidence has been criticised as "grossly unscientific" 
 "Wi-Fi Panorama / Melodrama - Wow that was really scientific!! ... Not! "

KCC has examined the evidence of the major reputable organisations, which all agree that the power levels used are so far below the guidelines that no danger exists.
Please see the KCC statement, the KCN report and the list of references. 

 Other links:

  • BBC - Panorama Programme
  • BBC - Wi-Fi fears unproven
  • Guardian - Scientists reject Wi-Fi radiation risks
  • Engadget - Wi-Fi is / is not dangerous
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    Comments

    # re: Concern over Parents reponses to Panorama

    Wednesday, May 23, 2007 6:46 PM by kent-teachers

    The follwing was sent by David on the Naace Mailing list

    "As many of you may have heard, there is a Panorama programme on BBC  tonight that "investigates" the use if Wireless computer networks  with reference to their use in schools.

    I thought it would be best to give you some information that may help  you with any enquiries you may get from concerned parents or pupils.

    Any wireless network installed in school by the local authority  conforms with the current EU guidelines.

    The risks to health are negligible as outlined in this World Health  Organisation document with selected quotes below:

    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs304/en/index.html

    "Recent surveys have shown that the RF exposures from base stations  range from 0.002% to 2% of the levels of international exposure  guidelines, depending on a variety of factors such as the proximity  to the antenna and the surrounding environment. This is lower or  comparable to RF exposures from radio or television broadcast  transmitters."

    "In fact, due to their lower frequency, at similar RF exposure  levels, the body absorbs up to five times more of the signal from FM  radio and television than from base stations. This is because the  frequencies used in FM radio (around 100 MHz) and in TV broadcasting  (around 300 to 400 MHz) are lower than those employed in mobile  telephony (900 MHz and 1800 MHz) and because a person's height makes  the body an efficient receiving antenna. Further, radio and  television broadcast stations have been in operation for the past 50  or more years without any adverse health consequence being established."

    The Health Protection Agency gives some advice that also reiterates  the very small outputs and risk from wireless networks.

    http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/understand/radiation_topics/emf/wlans.htm

    "On the basis of current evidence, the HPA does not consider there to  be a problem with the safety of WLAN (wireless network) . If an  explicit statement that exposures are within the ICNIRP guidelines is  required, this would have to be obtained from the manufacturers;  however, it could be argued that this is implicit in the CE marking."

    The Panorama programme seems to concentrate on the Stewart report as  its evidence base and reading this report indicates the greater risk  would seem to be from mobile phones and their associated networks.

    You can read the Stewart report here:

    http://www.iegmp.org.uk/report/index.htm"

    # re: Concern over Parents reponses to Panorama

    Saturday, June 02, 2007 10:01 AM by Mrs Martinez

    Smoking was considered safe in years gone by, with the guidelines set by a gentle man funded by the tobacco industry.

    Now it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that smoking can kill.

    We now know that the man setting the guidelines for WI FI is part of the Wireless industry, having worked for Nokia, therefore his judgement cannot be trusted, as it is likely to be biased.

    Twenty years down the road when we have a load of brain tumors, memory loss, and other similar damage, we probably go, OOOH, he was wrong!!