Critical Updates About Cell Towers in San Marino Schools

Thank you to everyone who has already signed the petition to remove the cell towers from San Marino campuses. It takes a group effort to make a difference. There are several updates and important information we would like to share.  Please click on the items below that are the facts as correctly and honestly as we can validate and document. Thank you for your time and support!

1) PUBLIC SESSION:

 The San Marino Unified School District (SMUSD) is holding a Public Study Session on Tuesday October 23 at 5:00-7:15pm at the Huntington Middle School Auditorium (1700 Huntington Drive) to decide whether to try to remove the cell phone towers located near the middle of the Valentine/Huntington and San Marino High School campuses. It is imperative that the auditorium be filled to capacity so that the board understands how the community feels about having cell towers on their school campuses. Please bring your families, children, homework, snacks and neighbors along. If you can’t make it on time, it is fine just to show up when you are able.

2) WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ATTEND?

 There is extensive evidence in the scientific literature that indicates electromagnetic radiation produced by cell phones and cell phone towers is potentially harmful for humans. In light of this information, exposure of children to long term, constant fields emitted by the cell phone towers does not seem prudent. However, some of the decision makers in the SMUSD do not currently seem inclined to remove the cell towers until there is absolute proof of harm—in the past accumulating such medical evidence typically requires decades—and because there may be significant cost.

Some people have said that removing the cell phone towers will cost 2 million dollars, and that a legal case will be not be winnable. All of this is pure speculation. We have seen no concrete documentation regarding this hearsay and whether we would actually have to litigate. More importantly, we believe that it is unacceptable that the difficulty of a task is an excuse to fail to act on minimizing threats to our children’s health. What kind of example is that for the next generation? Moreover, it should be obvious that should harm occur, the financial and legal consequences would be far more devastating to the school and our community. Who would want to keep their children in the schools and how will our property values weather? This issue is at a critical juncture and the SMUSD needs to recognize that there is growing support for removal of cell phone towers located on our campuses.

3) WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

 a) Use email and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc to share this message with your San Marino friends email and encourage them to attend the SMUSD public session on Tuesday 10/23 at 5PM.

b) Ask you friends who are supportive to sign the petition. (Disregard donation request.) 

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/remove-cell-towers-from-smusd/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

Please click on the items below for the Background, SMUSD Argument, Biased Experts, Fair Perspective, Emissions Report, Solutions, and Useful Links.  Thank you!

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Cell phone towers in the middle of school grounds pose potential health hazards to children.

Please sign the petition! (Disregard the donation request. It is not required.)

"Remove Cell Towers from SMUSD"
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/remove-cell-towers-from-smusd/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

What can you do to help?
1) Please sign the petition calling for the removal of cell phone towers from San Marino school properties.
2) Next step, share this link with your San Marino friends to pass the petition along electronically for signature collection.  Let's get the word out so we can make our schools a safe place without exposing our children to electromagnetic radiation at close distances. 
3) Come to the public forum on October 23, Tuesday at 5pm in the Huntington Middle School Auditorium

Tower Location and Exposure:

San Marino parent Ming Jiang, former lead system engineer in a cellular infrastructure division with Motorola, noticed the cell phone tower, disguised as a fake tree, on the Valentine campus within 40 feet of classrooms and next to the playground. This tower is located between Valentine and the Huntington Middle School campuses.  Additionally, there is another tower at the San Marino High School near the pool and gym. There is also a tower located next to Carver Elementary school around the Masonic Temple. Children and teachers have been exposed to this for more than 6 hours daily at an extremely close distance for the last 6 to 7 years. Notably, peak tower output occurs during school hours.

Contracts:

Between the years of 2004-2006, the SMUSD entered into 25 to 30-year lease agreements with cell phone carriers without a public hearing. In turn for using school property to place 4-5 cell phone carriers on these cell phone towers, the industry pays the school district around $4,000 monthly as income. 

Health Concerns:There is a significant debate about the health hazards associated with cell phones. Recent studies show that electromagnetic radiation of this type is linked to headaches, sleep disorders, poor memory, mental excitation, confusion, anxiety, depression and appetite disturbance. Most disturbingly there are scientific studies in which cell phone radiation has been associated with a 2 to 4 fold increased risk of developing incurable brain tumors (for a good review of this topic: J Neurooncology (2012) 106:1–13). In fact, there is currently sufficient evidence for the World Health Organization to classify electromagnetic cell phone radiation as a Class 2B carcinogen. A class 2B carcinogen is a possible cancer causing agent, same as gasoline.

Although research will take many more years before it is conclusive, cell phone towers placed on or near school grounds warrant particular attention. One reason is that these cell towers are immensely more powerful than your cell phone handset; therefore, the probability of harmful effects increases. For example, a study showed that people who live within 400 meters (1,312 feet) radius of a tower had significantly increased rates of cancer, such as leukemia and breast cancer, and premature death. The second reason for additional concern is that children maybe especially susceptible to short and long term effects due to their thinner skulls and rapid rate of growth. Even the studies in which negative effects were not found urge much caution regarding pediatric exposure.

Local and Worldwide Efforts:

Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest school district in the USA, adopted resolutions in 2000 and 2009 banning cellular facilities on or in close proximity to school property to ensure individuals, especially children, are protected from the potential health effects associated with exposure to radio-frequency radiation. In 2009 Huntington Beach city leaders voted to stop construction of a T-Mobile tower 100 feet from an elementary school. Even as far away as Taiwan, 1,500 cell phone towers were removed in 2007. September 2012 private cellphone operators in India have decided to shut down 199 mobile towers across the state in compliance with the Rajasthan High Court order banning their installation on or near schools, hospitals and JAILS. 

Action Goal:

Cell phones are wonderful tools, but risks to our teachers and children should be minimized. Our goal is to remove the towers from all school grounds and ensure in the future that no new towers are put closer than 400 meters away from any school.

We are asking the SMUSD Board of Directors to act without delay to decrease our children's exposure.  The decades of research and investigation conducted worldwide have raised enough safety concerns that we ask the SMUSD to err on the side of caution in protecting our children as well as the staff.

Check http://removecelltowers.blogspot.com/ for updates.

Some of the comments on the petition:                                     

I am so glad that finally someone is leading the efforts in removing the cell towers. I have voiced my concerns to the school board members when towers were built in 2006/07, but they just tried to fool parents with they provide good income for schools. 

This is a major health concern and unnecessary risk for our children. The cell site towers need to be removed as soon as possible. 

We looked at this when I was on the vestry at St. Edmunds, San Gabriel, when approached a number of years ago. We came to the conclusion that there was too much unknown risk, and exposing young children (nursery school age) was just not worth the potential risks for the small dollar amount we would be paid. Since then, I think there is even more research to say that cell phones, let alone cell phone towers are a risk. I would support removing, or at a minimum evaluating this further. 

The money the cell tower generates is not worth the health of our kids.

The health concern of the children and teachers should be the priority.

I am 100%supporting the removal of cell power at school.

Please remove the towers from our schools and move to at least 400 meter away from our schools!!

I am very concerned about our children's health.

Please remove those cell phone towers on SMUSD campuses.

I think it is egregious that the district put this up without looking into the adverse health effects. The safety of our children should come first

In favor of petition to remove the towers from the SMUSD school grounds.

Why was there no environmental impact study done prior to the agreement?

this is horrible for all the children at this school. the long term ramifications are unknown but to risk their health for a couple of thousand dollars a month..shame on you san marino

We want to remove cell towers from SMUSD. We don't want radiation to hurt all kids health. If the cell tower still in elementary campus, we will let my son go to other school.

Please remove cell tower from our campus ASAP. If not, we will move out this school district     

This is my petition for the removal of cell phone towers from San Marino school properties.

a lot of evidence is surfacing to show that these towers are a health hazard. please move them a.s.ap.    

cellphone towers should NOT be near SCHOOLS!

No Cellphone towers near school campuses    

We cannot take chances with our kids. Schools are the last place we should place these cell towers.    

Please relocate the towers so the children, teachers and parents can be protected from the radiation.

I am truly disturbed by and distressed over this NOW reported cell tower being disclosed that is on the Valentine campus that our daughter, Maya Katz is now being exposed to without our knowledge! These towers need to be removed NOW! 

Shame on SMUSD for turning a blind eye on this one!!!

Please take the tower off of my playground!

Please remove cell tower from all SMUSD properties ASAP.

Please remove cell towers. They are dangerous! Thank you! 

My son is 7th grade Huntington School student. He already expose to this environment for 8 years since Kingdergarden. Thank you very much for found out this. Please support this action "remove the cell tower from our school immediately !" 

Please remove these cell towers; monetary gain is not equivalent to any possible health risks.    
    
Yes we support remove cell towers at our SMUSD schools.

Just remove the tower(s). I don't want to wait 15 years to find out if the effects are harmful.

We are not working for our own children, we are working for all the current children and future children in San Marino!