YOU DECIDE: Cell Phone Towers at Schools

Turns out, bake sales just aren’t cutting it anymore.

As many school districts around the country face budget and funding cuts, many are struggling to make ends meet. In a lot of places, this means looking for alternative sources of revenue generation. Recently, some districts have made deals with telecom companies, allowing them to build cell phone towers on school property in exchange for receiving a share of the profits. Some people see this as a win-win situation for both parties involved, while others have reservations about some of the potential consequences of these arrangements.

Based on what you have seen and heard in the news. . . You Decide: Should cell phone towers be built on school property?

No

• The health effects of cell phone radiation are still unknown. Parents and others have expressed concern about the possible environmental hazards involved in exposing school children to increased levels of cell phone radiation from the towers on a daily basis.
• Cell phone towers are unsightly and could lead to possible devaluation of nearby properties.
• Children could be injured playing on or near the towers.

Yes

• This arrangement is a good source of revenue for struggling school districts. For example, Prince George’s County, Maryland, made $112,139 last year after allowing cell phone towers to be built on seven school properties.
• Wireless coverage is expanded for the surrounding community.
• No firm connections between cell phone towers and adverse health issues have been scientifically proven. According to the American Cancer Society, there is little danger of increased risk of cancer from being near a cell phone tower.

Children’s exposure to radio frequency is much greater if they use a phone than it is from being near a cell phone tower.