Cellphone towers at Detroit public schools raise concerns among parents
(CBS DETROIT) - "People should be alarmed that there are cell towers that are above their children's heads every day," said Karla Mitchell, a parent of Detroit public schools.
Mitchell is the mother of an eighth grader at Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy.
She is among many parents who are growing concerned about the potential dangers cellphone towers pose to their children.
"It's not just a district issue. It's a public health issue," she said.
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy is one of 21 schools in Detroit with a cellphone tower on the property. The district has 29 contracts with cellphone companies.
Recently, the Detroit City Council voted unanimously on a resolution calling on the health department to do a study to determine the impact cell towers have on students.
Councilwoman Mary Waters says it's important to know if children are at risk.
"We should be willing to spend whatever it takes to make sure that it's not affecting our babies," Waters said.
In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that the government "tighten wireless exposure limits" based on several studies. The organization cited a study from Egypt that found people living near mobile phone-based stations had an increased risk of negative health effects.
However, the American Cancer Society says there is no strong evidence that cell towers are dangerous for children
The FCC, the government agency that regulates telecommunications companies, also says the towers do not pose a health risk to children.
Theodora Scarato is the executive director of Environmental Health Trust. It's a scientific think tank that's advocated for parents in Wyandotte who are fighting the same issue. The superintendent from the school district in Wyandotte recently resigned following pressure from parents upset over cell phone towers at schools in the district
"Our recommendation is to reduce exposure not increase exposure," she said.
Many experts agree more research needs to be done to fully determine the impact of the cell towers.
As for Mitchell, it's a big concern for her that she hopes will be addressed.
"I am a person who looks at systems like the medical industrial; complex and telecommunication who have a vested interested in profits over people," she said.
We did reach out to the school district multiple times via email to get some type of response for this story, but we have yet to hear back.
