Cell Towers, Part II

This weekend, the St. Pete Times continued investigating the cell tower issue that has arisen within the Hillsborough school district. In Sunday’s paper, Letitia Stein wrote a story on such, and in Saturday’s Gradebook blog, Jeffrey Solochek posted an interview with activist Bill Cook with Parents Against Cell Towers at Schools.

Mr. Cook is certainly an articulate person and made a well-reasoned attempt to defend his position that cell towers have no place on any school campus. His arguments, though, seemed more about the zoning process and property values than about his vision of health and safety of students. He also thinks the potential of $44,000 a year income for a school “paltry.”

In her story about cell towers, reporter Stein viewed a parent who eats organic food, won’t own a microwave, and distrusts cell phones. “When a cell phone rings, she puts it on speaker mode and orders her boys to hold it away from their heads.” This parent also has her family take off shoes indoors to preserve air quality.

Stein goes on to point out that federal regulators deem cell towers safe, while some parents say the technology is new and research can’t be conclusive.

Quoted in the article is board member Doretha Edgecomb, the always quiet voice of reason. To counter the health hazard nonsense, she says, “we know the importance of having our kids outside in the sun playing. But on the other hand, we also know that overexposure to the sun can cause cancer. And yet, parents will say our kids don’t have enough time to play outside.

The best comments came from Dr. R. Waide Weaver of Tampa’s Gulfcoast Oncology office. He urges patients not to drive themselves crazy over unknowns, but to focus on behaviors that make a difference. Eat right. Exercise. Don’t smoke. “At some point, we have to strike a balance between public health……and day-to-day functioning.”

Our school board needs to listen to concerned parents. That’s an etched-in-stone given. At the same time, the board does not have to give any credence to unproven if not weird research and science. When parents opposing cell towers give up their cell phones, then perhaps, the board should take a closer look.

Right now, I hope the board grows some brass ones quickly and approves a blanket acceptance of cell towers, taking the heat off individual school principals and keeping the revenues flowing to cash-strapped schools.

posted by admin @ 5:47 PM