Presentation to the Victoria School Board - Nov 18, 2013

On November 2013 the Victoria School Board passed a motion to lift a 3 year moratorium on the installation of commercial grade Wi-Fi networks in our Elementary Schools thereby shifting the fundamental responsibility of keeping children safe, in this case from wireless microwave radiation, an established 2 B carcinogen, onto individual school staff and parents.
 
Continue Monitoring WiFi Documentation
That the Board of Education of School District No. 61 continues to monitor documentation from the Vancouver Island Health Authority , the Provincial Health Officer, Health Canada and the World Health Organization with regard to the use of WiFi in Schools.  Further, the WiFi Committee recommends that the Board Reviews, on an annual basis. those recommendations and receives updates on any changes.

Allow Use of WiFi in Elementary Schools
Than the Board of Education of School District No. 61 allow the use of WiFi in elementary schools subject to each school first obtaining the support of their school community.
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Before the Board decides to pass a motion to lift the current moratorium on wifi installation in our Elementary Schools, thereby increasing indoor levels of microwave radiation significantly and exposing children for many hours everyday needlessly, I think its important to review what the Health Authorities, Health Canada and WHO recommend: 

1) The World Health Organization has established that radio frequency, microwave radiation does pose a threat to human health and has thus classified this type of exposure in the same risk category as lead, DDT and car exhaust, recommending that children especially (and I quote) “take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure” to all chronic sources of  RF radiation. Children are much more vulnerable to all radiation and absorb 10 times more into their bone marrow than an adult! This type of daily exposure causes cumulative damage and significantly increases the risk for developing electro hypersensitivity, neurological disorders, infertility, cancer and more.  
 

http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf

 Would we allow our School Officials to spray the playgrounds with pesticide DDT or cover classroom walls with leaded paint or allow idling car exhaust to waft in all day through a window for our children to breath in?  So it begs the question: on what evidence or recommendations do school officials assert MWR emissions from wireless technologies at any level is safe for children?

Often we hear a Wi-Fi router emits only a small amount of MWR, much less then a cell phone for instance; however, one must keep in mind that combining several commercial Wi-Fi routers with a classroom full of iPads, each with 5 transmitters all emitting microwave radiation simultaneously, is many times stronger than a cell phone.  If prolonged use of cell phones has been linked to brain cancer, shouldn’t we also be concerned about powerful ipads, often used for longer periods and held against children’s reproductive organs and other vital organs? Should parents have the right to utilize safer modes of connecting to the internet or should officials be able to deny this and decide for them?

2) Health Canada states “The department also encourages parents to reduce their children’s RF exposure from cell phones since children are typically more sensitive to a variety of environmental agents.  As well, there is currently a lack of scientific information regarding the potential health impacts of cell phones on children.” This suggests Health Canada is concerned about children’s close proximity and prolonged exposure to RF radiation and that parents should take precautionary measures to reduce risk. How is allowing the proliferation of RF/MWR devices and routers into schools heeding recommendations set out by the WHO and Health Canada?   In fact it is proceeding contrary to warnings and increasing children’s risk significantly.
 

http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/consumer-consommation/home-maison/cell-eng.php

3) Dr Kendall’s recommendation if there is a concern re Wi-Fi in schools, as per letter to the Ministry of Education in 2010, is to:

·      Limit WiFi use to certain times or locations within the school

·      Turn off Wifi when not in use

·      Disconnect wifi in rooms that do not use computers

·      Ensure user manuals for smart-phones and smart tablets are read and recommendations are followed.

Apple states: Read all safety information below and operating instructions before using iPad to avoid injury.

http://parentsforasafeschool.blogspot.ca/2014/01/ipad-safety-warnings-and-disclaimers.html

Has the Board offered any of these prudent measures to reduce exposure for children? No, they have not. Has the Board distributed the Safety Manuals and Disclaimers of iPads and other wireless devices to be used in the educational setting to parents? No, they have not. Simply parents have never been informed of the risks nor provided their written consent. 

Dr. Perry Kendall and Dr Stanwick are not scientists or medical experts on the biological effects of microwave radiation on the human body.  Dr Kendall continues to state there’s no known harmful effects on children, yet the BC Center for Disease Control recently cautioned in their 400 page report on RF/EMR that their findings are consistent with many international experts who continue to warn that prolonged exposure to low levels of microwave radio frequency radiation from wireless devices that include wi-fi, ipads, cell phones, cordless phones and smart meters, can lead to serious health effects such as infertility and cancer, children especially at risk 

BC Centre for Disease Control Report – July 2013

http://citizensforsafetechnology.org/BC-CENTRE-FOR-DISEASE-CONTROL-REPORT-POINTS-TO-DAMAGING-HEALTH-EFFECTS-FROM-WIRELESS-DEVICES,2,3245 

BC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Perry Kendall's Letter on Wi-Fi for Schools:  Erroneous Representation of Radiation Data 
http://www.safeinschool.org/search?q=Dr+kendall
 

We all want our children to have the best education possible and that includes technology, but not at the expense of their health and well-being. 

Does the Board have the right to decide critical health questions for parents? Does the Board have the right to exclude children made ill by Wi-Fi? Wi-Fi in all schools equates to mandatory microwave radiation exposure for every child and robs parents of this right to decide what level of risk if acceptable for their children.  At a minimum, there needs to be choice with some schools remaining hardwire. Using existing hard wired internet does not classify as undue hardship, contrary to what some might say, however, having an inoperable brain tumour or leukemia most certainly is. 

The Board states they will follow recommendations from Health Canada, WHO, Dr. Kendall and the BC Center for Disease Control and yet they have not. And if the Board proceeds with Wi-Fi in all schools and deprives parents the ability to heed health warnings and mitigate risk for their children, they should know they will be held accountable for irreversible harm to our children in the future. 

Please decide on the basis of what’s safest for children and not based upon popular vote and industry propaganda.

Janis Hoffmann
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