This
is a question that many school boards, including the Anne Arundel County Board
of Education, has been considering when it comes to the decision about
constructing cell phone towers on school property or near the property. Because
the FCC and other government entities have developed strict standards for cell
towers in order to keep the radio frequency emissions low and there hasn’t been
any conclusive studies linking cell towers and negative health effects, why
should these towers be a concern?
The
Capital Gazette explains in the case of Maryland’s Anne Arundel County that, “ Essentially, the objections to Milestone
Communications’ proposal for a 99-foot-tall monopole antenna at Piney Orchard
Elementary School in Odenton represent fear of the unknown — a reasonable thing
when it comes to the evolving understanding of health risks.”
However, the school board believes these towers
are a necessity because they will provide funds for education as well as meet
the demand for cell phone reception throughout the county. Many towns have
begun taking legislative steps to ban cell towers being built on or near school
property.
“Parents are capable of weighing concrete
financial gains and cloudy potential for health risks. It’s easy to see parents
at Piney Orchard saying no thanks to a tower on their 18-acre school yard,
while parents at Broadneck High, another targeted school, might be OK with one
on their 62-acre campus,” the Capital Gazette explained.
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