Mitigation
Over the past several decades, scientists have discovered how the human body can be impacted by exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation, and how the developing bodies of children are particularly vulnerable. A recent study by the National Toxicology Program of the U. S. National Institutes of Health found “clear evidence” of cancer from exposure to this type of radiation, even at levels below government standards, confirming the findings of thousands of other independent, peer-reviewed studies.
Thus, the theory that non-ionizing radiation is harmless, which has been the basis for regulation and legislation in the United States for more than thirty years, has been debunked. The question now facing manufacturers, government agencies, IT professionals and school administrators is, what should we be doing about it?
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This is a very difficult predicament for schools that have invested heavily in wireless technology, and who have been repeatedly assured by the purveyors of wireless systems that their equipment meets or exceeds all government safety guidelines. It probably does.
An FCC compliance label does not guarantee safety or shield schools from potential liability.
But a reliance on government safety guidelines from the 1990s is not sufficient to protect the children of today. For one thing, a typical modern school classroom is a "hot" environment, with dozens of laptops or tablets, smart speakers, smart boards, Wi-Fi routers and often multiple cell phones all active and all within close range of students. It's a very different environment than a single device being tested in a single lab. But that's how we test wireless equipment.
Secondly, researchers equipped with sharper tools and more sophisticated equipment are documenting significant biological damage from RF radiation at levels far below those previously thought safe. But U. S. Government guidelines remain firmly based exclusively on thermal effects, just as they were in 1996, when they were adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.
And so, for those schools that believe in the precautionary principle when it comes to our children, we present these strategies for mitigation of RF radiation in classrooms as a temporary measure until all school systems can be hardwired.
Please see the drop-down menu for specific ideas and techniques.