UK Teachers Press For Wi-fi Ban in Schools

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers called for classroom wireless networks to be suspended immediately until research has properly considered the threat to health.

Members said they were concerned by scientific reports linking wi-fi with impaired concentration, loss of short-term memory, chromosome damage and increased incidence of cancer, reports the MailOnline.

The ATL cited research from Sweden, where the government funds shielding agents, and Austria, where a government scientist has called for wi-fi to be removed from schools. As always, once new technology is introduced it becomes difficult to remove, with some 70% of UK secondary schools, and half the primary schools, having already installed wi-fi systems.

However, one disturbing trend I'm finding is the sanctimonious ignorance of the vast majority of commenters. These people claim to know so much about science but instead of thinking through the problem they come up with glib excuses. Most of the arguments could be lifted straight from the corporate denialist handbook. Just search for 'electromagnetic resonance' and even 'electromagnetic hypersensitivity'. Science propaganda works just as effectively as political propaganda.

What the teachers have really asked for is that the government initiates and funds some much-needed proper research. This is merely in line with the European parliament which has serious misgivings about the whole area of electromagnetic pollution and especially pulsed digital signals.