Cell Towers Near Schools

Cell towers have become a contentious issue with many parenting groups across America. Many parents fear that a cell tower placed close to a school will cause damage to their children. At the same time, many school districts and counties are approving new cell towers. The number of cell towers has risen steadily in parallel to the number of mobile phones. On average there are 3,500 new cell towers each year, contributing to a total of between 150,000 and 200,000 cell towers across America. Many of these towers are built on or near public utilities such as malls, shopping precincts, public offices and schools.

Cell Towers

• Cell towers are built to provide Americans with great cell phone coverage. No two cell phones communicate directly with one another. Instead, they send their messages via a cell tower. To function, cell towers and cell phones emit low levels of radio-frequency (RF) radiation. The amount emitted by one phone is minuscule; however, cell towers emit higher amounts. A cell tower emits between 800 and 2200 megahertz (MHz) per second, or 800 million to 2.2 billion radio waves per second. Cell phone companies have taken steps to minimize radiation by improving antenna design and ensuring that RF radiation is not emitted downwards.

Parental Concerns

• Parental concerns over the placement of cell towers have been raised across America. Parents are concerned that cell towers emit too much radiation and will harm their children. They also believe that the radiation is particularly harmful to children as they are still developing. As a result, many school boards and parent groups are attempting to block new cell towers from being built near their schools. Many parents want a buffer zone around school properties to keep cell towers at a safer distance.

Are Cell Towers a Health Risk?

• The health issues surrounding cell towers concentrates upon whether the electromagnetic field emitted by the tower are harmful to a child's health. Research, according to Dr. Martin Blank of Columbia University, has linked these towers to cancer, changes in white blood cells, slowed motor skills and decreased immune system performance. The MHz range of a cell tower is actually lower than that of an X-ray. While adverse affects have been documented, there is also an opposing view. Some organizations, such as Cancer.org say there is a general scientific agreement that cell tower radiation is far too low to have an adverse affect. With conflicting information, it is difficult to make a judgment concerning cell tower safety.

Money

• School districts see cell towers as beneficial because they bring in a small amount of money. According to "The Washington Post," each cell tower benefits the school system by approximately $10,000 a year. This works out at less than one dollar per child a year. This compares to an overall school system budget of $1.8 billion. With this comparison, the amount of money generated by cell towers is minute and hardly seems worth the trouble. Parent groups and those concerned with cell tower safety can argue money is being put before child safety.