Three years of daily exposure to cell tower radiation at the Middle School plus four years at the High School is dangerous to our children and school staff.
It is time to stop the Bethlehem High School cell tower and dismantle the ones placed on the water tank by the Bethlehem Middle School! (Please print, sign and mail or copy and email to school and town officials (click here for their contact information).
UPDATE: At the November 18, 2009 Board of Education meeting, the school board approved moving forward on the construction of a cell tower on high school property. Board members voted in favor of their plan by a vote of 4 to 3. (See how they voted here).
It is time to stop the Bethlehem High School cell tower and dismantle the ones placed on the water tank by the Bethlehem Middle School! (Please print, sign and mail or copy and email to school and town officials (click here for their contact information).
UPDATE: At the November 18, 2009 Board of Education meeting, the school board approved moving forward on the construction of a cell tower on high school property. Board members voted in favor of their plan by a vote of 4 to 3. (See how they voted here).
CITIZENS PETITION calling upon the Board of Education of the Bethlehem Central School District (BCSD), The Superintendent of the BCSD, The Supervisor of the Town of Bethlehem and the Bethlehem Town Board for immediate action to stop the placement of cell phone towers on and near school facilities.
WHEREAS, There now exists a substantial body of published scientific research suggesting that the potential for harm from new cellular trans- mission technology is real; these studies justify concern that cellular band towers operating near school buildings emit RF radiation that may be harmful to the health of humans in the immediate area and cause biological harm through long term exposure; and
WHEREAS, Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy which travels in waves and includes everything from high energy X-rays and cosmic rays through visible light to the low energy electric and magnetic fields released from power lines; cellular telephone towers release RF radiation that is in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum; and
WHEREAS, High energy electromagnetic radiation is clearly harmful, and can cause cancer and birth defects through direct damage to the genetic material in cells; there is also a substantial body of scientific evidence showing that the low energy electromagnetic fields coming from power lines and electrical appliances (at a frequency of 60 Hz in the U.S.) also pose an elevated risk of cancer to humans; and
WHEREAS, While the degree of hazard from lower energy fields is still a matter of controversy, the evidence that there is an increased risk of cancer among highly exposed individuals nevertheless is very strong; a report in 1999 to the United States Congress from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has concluded that the epidemiologic studies demonstrate a fairly consistent pattern of a small increased risk with increasing exposure which is somewhat weaker from chronic lymphocytic leukemia than for childhood leukemia; and
WHEREAS, The report also concludes that animal studies have not resulted in cancer, but that no mechanism is known to explain the increased leukemia seen in humans exposed to these electromagnetic fields; and
WHEREAS, When a cellular transmission is beamed through, on, or near a school, the long-term exposure to RF radiation is significantly greater because the transmission is directed at school children each day; the risk of long term RF exposure from transmissions located near schools is multiplied since schools are gathering places for students and faculty for extended periods of time; and
WHEREAS, Cell-tower transmissions are classic situations of uncertainty and risk calling for precaution; under this clear need for evaluation of risk, the wisest approach for both government and individuals is to take the first step in implementing precaution by preventing installation of these towers until further more conclusive studies can be conducted; and
WHEREAS, In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities; where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation; this concept is known as the Precautionary Principle; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the residents of the Town of Bethlehem and parents of children in the Bethlehem Central School District call upon the Superintendent of the BCSD and the members of the BCSD Board of Education and the Supervisor and members of the Bethlehem Town Board for immediate action in banning the placement of cell phone towers near and on school facilities; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Petition, be transmitted to the Superintendant of the BCSD, the members of the Board of Education, the Bethlehem Town Supervisor, members of the Bethlehem Town Board and to the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Education and to the Board of Regents.