Mobile Phones in schools

[newbieCath]

What are people's thoughts about mobile phones in secondary schools?

Personally I am not happy about my children having to go into an environment with lots of mobile phone usage but it seems that most UK secondary schools allow them. Some don't but I hear that children still use them in breaks in secret. I feel they should be used only for emergencies by children. My reasons are mainly health reasons which from talking to friends and family most people are not even aware that mobile phones carry considerable health risks! And our children are the first generation to grow up with them. The radiation from them has been classified as a class 2B probable carcinogen by the World Health Organisation and now there are many independent scientists working on moving that to a Class 1 carcinogen based on existing evidence.

Here is some evidence of the science if anyone is interested:
https://ehtrust.org/science/research-on ... h-effects/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, recently the French government has done a blanket ban on mobiles in schools and playgrounds for children up to age 14:
https://ehtrust.org/france-bans-cell-ph ... aygrounds/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Children are much more prone to the effects as they are still developing, their myelination hasn't finished, they have more water content in their body. All these make the negative effects of microwave radiation worse.
Some more info specific to children from EHT:
"On July 12, 2012 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the FCC to open a formal inquiry into radiation standards for cell phones and other wireless products because children are more vulnerable to wireless radiation. They state that, “The FCC has not assessed the standards for cell phone radiation since 1996” and “children are… disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation”
Read the AAP letter supporting the Cell Phone Right to Know Law here: https://ehtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/ ... ow_act.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Read the AAP Letter Supporting A Change to FCC Guidelines https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/7520941318.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Current standards were not developed with children’s vulnerabilities in mind. Federal standards are based on an adult male model. Keeping wireless devices close to the pregnant abdomen is potentially dangerous because the developing fetus is especially susceptible to radiation. This is why many Doctors and Obstetricians recommend reducing cell phone and wireless exposures for pregnant women. See the BabySafe Project for more information about a public awareness program developed by Doctors including Dr. Hugh Taylor.

Keep in mind that the brain does not complete development until the mid-twenties. This means children deserve an additional level of precaution. Small insults on the developing brain can result in large impacts later in life. Their skulls are softer and thinner than an adult’s skull, and they also have more fluid content than an adult. The radiation is absorbed more deeply into children’s brains and therefore, children need greater protections in place."

Did you know that in the year 2000 the British government had a top committee of scientists advise them that no one should use a mobile phone under the age of 16 because of issues of exposing the young developing skull. This information has not been widely publicised and instead it has been presumed that because the power is weak there is no need for concern. But it is not because of the power of the radiation it is because of the pulse that damage is being done. This has been explaine by Dr Devra Davis

UK Department of Health – 2005 “Mobile Phones and Health” brochure which reads:“The expert group has therefore recommended that in line with a precautionary approach, the widespread use of mobile phones by children (under the age of 16) should be discouraged for non-essential calls. In the light of this recommendation the UK Chief Medical Officers strongly advise that where children and young people do use mobile phones, they should be encouraged to: • use mobile phones for essential purposes only • keep all calls short – talking for long periods prolongs exposure and should be discouraged The UK CMOs recommend that if parents want to avoid their children being subject to any possible risk that might be identified in the future, the way to do so is to exercise their choice not to let their children use mobile phones.” https://ehtrust.org/united-kingdom-poli ... on-health/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am not sure why in light of the above some schools even have IT lessons which involve mobile phones! (from what I could see at an open day of a particular school).

Is anyone else concerned?

[ToadMum]

Even if pupils are allowed to have or even use mobile phones in school, there is nothing to stop a parent from not allowing their own DC to have one, let alone take it to school themselves. And much as they presumably would ask their friends not to get too close if they were eating or drinkng something to which they were allergic, they can politely ask others who do have a phone with them not to stand / sit too close when they use it.

[mike1880]

I'd suggest you stop scaring yourself with really old data and read the current NHS advice instead:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mobile-phone-safety/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit to add: and for a brisk, accessible and above all up to date summary of the current state of research I suggest the following:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... lth-hazard" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[doodles]

Is anyone else concerned?

No.

What worries me more is the idiots who think it's ok to drive and use a mobile at the same time. As well as those that are so engrossed with their phones or plugged into their headphones that they are oblivious to the traffic around them.

[ToadMum]

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/a-disc ... d-science/

Not all epidemiologists are equal, one might say.

[newbieCath]

I'd suggest you stop scaring yourself with really old data and read the current NHS advice instead:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mobile-phone-safety/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit to add: and for a brisk, accessible and above all up to date summary of the current state of research I suggest the following:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... lth-hazard" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Old data? There is a lot of new research about non ionising radiation.
Dr. Erica Mallery-Blythe presents some evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hQKFPQ ... dBULZumbK4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mike1880]

Is that a peer reviewed YouTube video?

If you want to believe this rubbish you will and there's nothing anyone can do to persuade you otherwise. Mere trivialities like basic fundamentals of science, large scale studies over decades, the simple observation that there have been no long term effects in a population that has now been using mobile phones for more than 20 years: none of this will convince you if you want to believe otherwise.

But anyway, to answer your question: is anyone else concerned? No. And neither should you be.

[loobylou]

No.
I had no idea people actually believed this stuff.
The evidence is overwhelmingly that they are safe.
To believe otherwise is akin to being anti vaccination.

[hermanmunster]

Dr Erica Mallery qualified about 20 years ago but doesn't have a licence to practice in the UK

[mike1880]

She does, though, have a living to make. It's a pity she's chosen this way.