Introduction

A wireless network is sadly an important part of schools, so  about 70 percent of primary schools and 80 percent of secondary schools have installed it for convenience and education purpose.

However, it must be said that schools should turn off the wireless network for especially primary students because of potential health risks such as headache, dizziness, memory loss, and difficulty in concentration.

This article will review the health issues connected to wireless technology which are used by students and look at the current council's policy on Wi-Fi. 

Wi-Fi: in Schools

Wi-Fi is short for Wireless Fidelity and is a particular type of wireless local area network (WLAN) - i.e., you do not need to plug your computer into a phone network via a cable. There are many types of WLAN but all of them allow user two or more computers to form a network using radio frequency (RF) signals. They allow users to access and share data, applications, internet access or other network resources in the same way as wired networks (cable) systems.

Recently many schools have installed a Wi-Fi system in the school areas in a wide range of educational institute from primary to higher education surprisingly even students are enable to surf the Web in the yellow school buses on their way to school. Wireless networks offer great benefits for schools for example, teachers are able to use restricted school physical space more effectively by using their laptop connected Wi-Fi network beyond the school. Wireless networks can support pupils and the wider community in networking with each other and with access to the internet.
 

Unfortunately, schools seem to have overlooked one important fact that there are potential health risks linked to Wi-Fi. Dr. Riina Bray, an environmental health specialist at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, assert that two or three of her patients every week suffer from ailments related to high- radio frequency waves (RF); Wi-Fi routers, cellphone and other radio-frequency sources. Moreover Bray found that hypersensitivity patients have increased about 12 times compared with five years ago. Typically her patients report to her that the symptoms lessen or disappear when they get away from RF sources.

Health problems and banning Wi-Fi

Around 70% of primary schools and 81 % of secondaries
already have wireless technology

Some parents believe that the Wi-Fi is making their children sick and therefore they gather their voice to ban Wi-Fi system from schools. They are afraid that radiation emitted from the system causes health problems including brain damage to pupils, even though schools and some health organizations such as the Health Protection Agency in the UK state "there is no consistent evidence to date that Wi-Fi and WLANs adversely affect the health of the general population".

It is recognised, however, that there is a lack of research in this field. According to Dr Andrew Goldsworthy, a retired biologist of Imperial College, London, the "existence of safety guidelines should not be taken as proof that Wi-Fi networks are safe."

Sir William Stewart, Chairman of the Health Protection Agency, has also called for a precautionary approach and further research to give parents as much reassurance as possible.

Children' s brains absorb twice more radiation

This issue is not only happening in the UK. The Canadian Press (2010) reported that 14 Ontario schools in Barrie, Bradford, Collingwood, Orillia and Wasaga Beach’s students are having symptoms from light headaches to heavy dizziness, nausea and also include memory loss, trouble concentrating, hyperactivity, night sweats and insomnia. In general the symptoms are easy to find among young children that is because we have clear evidence form that shows that children, especially young children, are going to absorb much more radiation than older children and adults because physically their brain is developing, thinner skulls and smaller size of brains more closely approximates the size of the wavelength being deployed.

Conclusion

To conclude, researches about risks of Wi-Fi effects to human body especially the young and still developing brains are still not enough and researchers are not 100 percent sure all the symptoms that children are showing come from Wi-Fi. There have been several warnings from scientists, researchers, doctors, and professors that microwave radiation is harmful to children, and should be reduced and avoided.

To protect our children’s health, Wi-Fi should be banned from schools until we can make sure that wireless communication devices are safe for children. The reports from the council's Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs (2010) said that “Waiting for high levels of scientific and clinical proof can lead to very high health and economic costs, as was the case in the past with asbestos, leaded petrol and tobacco, as was the case in the past with asbestos, leaded petrol and tobacco.”

 

References

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Paton, G. (2007). Wi-fi 'should be banned in schools'. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1559141/Wi-fi-should-be-banned-in-schools.html

The Canadian Press. (2010). Parents complain Wi-Fi is making students sick. Retrieved September 27, 2012, from http://www.cp24.com/parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick-1.542614

Kirkup, K. (2011). Wi-Fi making kids, teachers sick?. Retrieved September 27, 2012, from http://www.torontosun.com/2011/10/06/wi-fi-making-kids-teachers-sick

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BBC news. (2009). Parents concerned by school wi-fi. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/8318544.stm

Roberts, M. (2011). Scientists question if wi-fi laptops can damage sperm. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15943816

Health Protection Agency. (2012). wifi. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiation/UnderstandingRadiationTopics/ElectromagneticFields/WiFi/

Go Further, Go Wireless. Education - Advantages of Wireless. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.gofurthergowireless.co.uk/education-wireless-advanta.html

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