List of school union and PTA actions that have removed Wi-fi by EH Trust. This list is also available on the EH Trust website here: http://ehtrust.org/policy/schools-unions-and-pta-actions/

 

Schools, Unions and PTA Actions

Schools, teachers and parents are taking action to ensure a healthy school environment for students and a healthy work environment for students and staff. See below a list of schools that have removed wireless networks or taken action to reduce exposure to children. We also have a list of Teacher Unions and Parent Teacher Organizations that have issued statements, enacted policy and are calling for safe technology in schools.

Schools Worldwide Removing the WiFi/Taking Action

• 2015: Ashland Public Schools, Mass (USA): “Best Practices” to turn the WiFi off when not in use, Download Slides Video of parent who initiated this. Video of school board member discussing the process. Read Magazine article on Ashland’s Decision Here.
• 2015: St. Cajetanus School, Belgium: Wired Internet installed and wireless removed.
• 2015: Washington Waldorf School, Maryland, USA: Removed Wi-Fi Routers from Buildings, Ethernet installed.
• 2014: Acorn Hill School, Maryland: Wi-Fi Networks removed.
• 2014: DearCroft Montessori: Hardwired internet to younger grades, limited Wi-Fi Router exposure to older grades.
• 2014: Portland Waldorf School, Portland Oregon,USA, WiFi removed.
• 2014: Meeting House Montessori, Braintree Massachusetts, USA, WiFi replaced with ethernet.
• 2014: Ghent, Finland,  Wi-fi banned from pre-schools and day care.
• 2014: UPPER Sturt Primary School, Australia “No WIFI” LOW EMF Policy.
• 2014: The St. Augustine School in Italy turned off Wifi and goes back to Wires.
• 2013 Winlaw Elementary School, B.C. Canada turned off WiFi.
• 2013 Te Horo Primary School New Zealand Replaced WIFI with cable-based internet.
• 2013 Kootenay Lakes District School Board BC (One school without Wi-Fi)
• 2013 Blaise-Cendrars High School, Switzerland. Teachers vote to remove WiFi.
• 2012 Kivioja primary school in Ylivieska Finland bans phones and minimizes Wireless.
• 2012: Halton Waldorf, in Burlington Vermont: Remaining free of Wireless Radiation
• 2011 City of Lakes Waldorf School, WiFi taken out. Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
• 2011 Aurora School in Ontario removed Wifi and replaced with hardwired.
• 2011 North Cariboo Christian School in Quesnel, B.C., removed Wi-fi .
• 2011 Pretty River Academy in Ontario no WiFi.
• 2011 Wayside Academy, Peterborough, Ontario no Wi Fi.
• 2010 Surrey, BC Roots and Wings Montessori removed Wi-Fi.
• 2010 Ontario St. Vincent Euphrasia elementary school: Parents voted to turn off Wi-Fi.
• 2009 HEROUVILLE-SAINT-CLAIR wi-fi networks removed.

Teacher Unions and Parent Teacher Organizations

2014 United Federation of Teachers ( teachers, nurses and professionals working in New York City).

• New Wireless Radiation Webpage states, “Wireless radiation is emitted by the myriad of wireless devices we encounter every day. It was once thought to be relatively harmless. However, we now know that wireless radiation can cause non-thermal biological effects as well, including damage to cells and DNA, even at low levels.
• Resources posted on their site include Dr. Moskowitz’ Reducing Your Exposure to Wireless Radiation and the BabySafe Project brochure What You Need to Know About Wireless Radiation and Your Baby. “Taking certain precautions around wireless radiation is appropriate for our most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women.”

2014  New York State Teacher’s Union NYSUT: A federation of more than 1,200 local unions.

• “We have enough evidence to justify taking action and we are not willing to wait until our members, their children and the students suffer health consequences from not doing anything,” -Paul Pecorale, Vice President of the New York State United Teachers Union.
• Read the Press Release on Best Practices For Schools prepared for NYSUT
• Download the Guidelines for Safer Use of Wireless Technology in Classrooms Published for NYSUT
• NYSUT hosted a Webinar: Risks of wireless technologies and protecting children and staff in schools.

2014 National Education Association

• “The National Education Association believes that all educational facilities must have healthy indoor air quality, be smoke-free, be safe from environmental and chemical hazards, and be safe from hazardous electromagnetic fields.”
• “Students and/or their parents/guardians, education employees, and the public should be notified of actual and potential hazards.”
• “School districts should conduct periodic testing for harmful water and airborne particles/agents that are detrimental to the health of students and education employees and shall report the results publicly.”
• “The Association also believes in the development and enforcement of health and safety standards specifically for children.” Read Section C-19 of the NEA 2013-2014 Resolutions

2013 Canadian Teacher Federation’s Brief  (200,000 elementary and secondary school teachers)

• “CTF is concerned about the lack of definitive research regarding the adverse health effects of Wi-Fi.
• “We propose a prudent approach to the use of Wi-Fi, especially where children are present.”
• “We recommend an education program regarding the relative safety of Wi-Fi exposure and that appropriate resources be developed to educate the public regarding ways to avoid potential exposure risks of Wi-Fi access points and devices.”
• “Pedagogical needs could be met in schools with an approach that limits exposure to Wi-Fi.”
• Read the Briefing  The Use of Wi-Fi in Schools – Briefing Document

2015: Canadian Teacher’s Magazine published CTF Sounds the Alarm on Wi-Fi

2013 United Teachers of Los Angeles, representing 40,000 teachers and staff

• Resolution passed: “I move that UTLA will abide by current National NEA Policy for Environmentally Safe Schools which states that all employees and stakeholders should be informed when there are changes in their exposure to environmental hazards including electromagnetic radiation and that all stakeholders and the public should be notified of any actual and potential hazards.”
• See UTLA Newsletter editorial by social worker Kevin Mottus.

2013 Elementary Teacher’s Federation of Ontario – over 76,000 teachers

“There is cause for concern for members’ health and safety, especially women,” said Sandra Wash, a teacher representing the Peel district when the Federation issued a 2014  position statement supporting  an Expert Panel recommendation that Health Canada provide the public with more information about radiofrequency energy, and the safe use of wireless technology. ETFO voted to:

• Turn cell phones off in classrooms
• Label the location Of Wi-Fi access points.
• Research Radio Frequency radiation.
• Develop a hazard control program related to wireless microwave radiation through JHSC.

2012 The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (45,000 Ontario teachers)

• Recommends a wired infrastructure as WIFI “may present a potential Health and Safety risk or hazard in the workplace…The safety of this technology has not thoroughly been researched and therefore the precautionary principle and prudent avoidance of exposure should be practiced.”

2013 BC Teachers Federation adopted Wireless Resolutions and Proposed Resolutions

• “The BCTF supports members who are suffering from Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity by ensuring their medical needs are accommodated in the workplace.”
• Proposed Resolutions  “the World Health Organization’s classification of radiofrequency/electromagnetic fields emitted by wireless devices as a 2B possible cancer risk to humans; that the BCTF ensures all teachers have the right to work in a safe environment, including the right to work in a Wi-Fi/ wireless-free environment.”
• Recommendation to the Ministry of Education that school boards “begin immediate installation of on/off switches for Wi-Fi routers in schools, thereby reducing microwave radiation exposure and reducing health risks to members, and/or provide safer Ethernet cables or fibre optics”. Read the Wireless Resolutions and Proposed Resolutions
• Read  Daily News Coverage:Merritt teachers demand protection from wi-fi radiation ‘Evidence is piling up that wi-fi radiation may in fact be harmful’
• Read the Vancouver Sun News Report Here.

2013 The BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) of 821 Advisory Councils representing over 500,000 parents in British Columbia passed two resolutions.

• Resolution 17 “calls on each Board of Education to have one public school at each education level that is free of Wi-Fi, cordless phones and cell phones. This school will only be equipped with wired computers and wired telephones for personal, educational and administrative purposes.”
• Resolution 18 calls on Boards of Education to “cease to install Wi-Fi and other wireless networks in schools where other networking technology is feasible.” passed with a clear majority.
• Read Resolution On/Off switches for WiFi Routers and Protocol for the Use of Wireless Devices

2010 UK VOICE ;The Union for Education Professionals- 20,000 members

• “Voice has advocated that new Wi-Fi systems should not be installed in schools, that existing systems should be turned off when not required and that schools should consider whether they really need to use Wi-Fi, which was developed to facilitate Internet access on the move rather than to be used as a convenient alternative to cables in dedicated IT facilities.”
• Read their Position Statement read their Blog post.

Los Angeles California Public Schools

• The LA School District Uses a RF-EMF Exposure Threshold 10,000 Less Than the FCC Limits: The OEHS supported  a precautionary threshold level that is 10,000 times lower than the current Federal Communications Commission standard. Read the RF Report the LA School District Used to recommend a cautionary exposure level. RADIOFREQUENCY (RF) EVALUATION REPORT Use of Wireless Devices in Educational Settings
• 2009 LA School Board Resolution Banning Cell Towers from schools and recommending against WiFi.
• “The Board supports responsible deployment of fiberoptic broadband technology which is superior to wireless in speed, reliability, security, durability and protections it affords people and the environment from the potential hazards of exposure to radio frequency radiation.”
• Read the adopted resolution HERE.
• 2009 December Resolution Condemning Cell towers NEAR Schools as was this T-Mobile Cell Tower across the street from an elementary school. Read it here.
• “As long as questions exist as to the adequacy of these federal regulations, local governments should have the ability to include consideration of health and environmental effects of these facilities.” (referring to cell towers) Read the motion by Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Michael Antonovich

2000 LA School Board Resolution Opposing Cell Tower Placement  on Schools and calling for precautions with wireless. ‘Whereas, Recent studies suggest there is evidence that radio-frequency radiation may produce “health effects” at “very low field” intensities’ Read it here.

2010 Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association

“The GVTA recommends a precautionary approach to the School District with regard to provision of wireless internet in schools. The precautionary approach comes from the environmental movement and has been adopted as common practice in areas regarding potential environmental, ecological or biodiversity damage. It suggests that the lack of significant evidence is not enough of a reason to be unconcerned. The fact that many other countries have instituted regulations to protect children, seniors, pregnant women and other susceptible populations should be the guide for a District policy on WiFi installation and use in the worksites.”

The GVTA Wireless in Schools Webpage states now that:

• Wi-Fi free zones should be available.
• On/Off routers recommended and  record any adverse Wi-Fi health effects.
• Minimal or non-use within elementary schools.

2008 Lucerne Elementary Secondary Arrow Lakes District SD 10 New Denver BC, Canada Opts for “No WIFI”

2001 California State PTA

• “RESOLVED, that the California PTA supports local municipal zoning setback rules of at 1000 feet or more from an operating wireless transmitter and a school or residential area; and be it further
• RESOLVED that the California PTA supports encouraging schools to use cable lines for all communications services on campus and to avoid the endorsement, purchase or use of wireless local area network systems on campus; and be it further
• RESOLVED that the California PTA recommend that teachers and students should limit use of cellular phones or other mobile devices on school property to emergencies and that cellular phones, pagers and other mobile phones be turned off and placed out of sight while the individual is on school property”
• Resolution on Wireless Equipment/Cellular Phones and Antennas Read it here.