Our First Student with Health Problems Due to Wireless!!

[Vegas]

Just had our first parent in blaming her daughters constant illness on our wireless network!!

Anyone come across this yet?

How have you/your SLT dealt with it?

[localzuk]

We haven't had it - but you could simply turn around and ask them to provide some proof to this claim, eg. a letter from their GP

[_Bat_]

Does make you wonder though doesn't it... I'm not saying wireless networks DO cause damage, however, I can't say it will do us any good either. Even though i'm not someone who worries much about stuff like that as quite frankly there is nothing that can be done about it anyway, just like with mobile phones, I'd never say that it doesn't do any damage.

 

Once upon a time, people thought smoking was good for you. Doctors actually ENCOURAGED people to light up as it improved their health. They'd have laughed if you went to them and told them it was bad for them. Go figure

[enjay]

I'm with Localzuk - get some medical confirmation of their claims, and I mean from a proper doctor, not whatever scare-mongering Daily Mail article they read. What sort of health complaints are your wireless networks allegedly causing then?

 

One of our teachers was complaining about sight problems following constantly standing in the glare of her projector - she had her doctor confirm this so we raised the height of all our projectors. Indeed, having used her classroom a bit, I can see what she meant; it is much nicer since we had it adjusted.

[Lee_K_81]

I would suggest also asking the parents if their child has a mobile phone, and can they prove that said illness isn't from holding their mobile within close proximity to their ear or from having it about their personage at all times. Let 'em dig theirself out of that one!

 

One of our teachers was complaining about sight problems following constantly standing in the glare of her projector - she had her doctor confirm this so we raised the height of all our projectors

It would have been more cost effective to ask her to take half a step left or right when addressing the glass. How daft was she:

teacher: "class take a look at this..."

pupils: "we cant miss theres f*cking shadow in the way"

teacher: "hmmm, must be something inside the projector, let me look inside.... arrrrh"

:twisted:

 

Or could you not have just issued all staff with sunglasses? MiB style

[Heebeejeebee]

 

Flood gates open.

 

It's this week's reason to blame someone for something.

 

I concur with _bat_ and Localzuk.

 

HBJB

[kestrel1]

I am inclined to agree with Lee_K_81. If you see the pupils outside of school, you would think that thier mobile phones had been stuck to thier ears. You may find that there are mobile phone masts in close proximity to where the school is or ever where the kids live.

I don't think a wireless network would have that much effect. Just look at the range you get & compare that to a mobile phone network. Which do you think pokes out the highest amount of radio waves?

As regards to a teacher standing in front of the projector, well that is just asking for trouble. Would you stand & stare at the sun? I don't think so.

[Kyle]

Disgruntled parent who can read newspaper articles..........maybe?

 

But as we have no proof............................................!

[john]

One of our teachers was complaining about sight problems following constantly standing in the glare of her projector - she had her doctor confirm this so we raised the height of all our projectors. Indeed, having used her classroom a bit, I can see what she meant; it is much nicer since we had it adjusted.

 

You shouldn't stand in the glare of the projector, i'm sure it even states that in the sheet that comes with a Promethean Board. I know the generic Croner H&S Stuff goes on about not standing in front of the beam, fine have your back to it and when you face the class you should be at the side of the board. If staff don't use them right then they deserve what they get, they may say when I'm teaching them to use them that its annoying constantly walking side to side and in and out but it really doesn't make a difference to teaching in my view, its safety, and you only get one pair of eyes.

[sqdge]

Daily Mail - Wifi internet 'poses a health risk for children'

 

Well, I think we all know what newspaper that parent reads.

[apoth0r]

I have a friend who works with these mobile phone masts and has done for 5 years, any signs of any problems....no

Agree with Heebee, what else can the schools be accountable for this week, how about they parent a little more and read silly stories less.

Naivity for the lose

[Geoff]

We used to fry eggs on the dishes that ran the microwave links in my last job. Saved us having to come down off the towers for lunch.

[Ric_]

And it just gets better and better as more 'scientists' jump on the bandwagon... http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/6602561.stm

[sqdge]

Is anyone actually going to do anything in their school as a result of these "reports"?

[localzuk]

No. To buy into it would be premature. Unless someone can come up with an actual scientific report stating that wifi is dangerous then it is all hot air. Science works by trying to disprove things - you can't prove that wifi doesn't cause illness, you can only prove that it does. People saying they want to see evidence that wifi is safe will never get it.

 

However, not putting your laptop on your legs is a good idea anyway. It prevents the following:

 

1. Potential burns from the heat being released by the laptop

2. Clogging up the fan with fluff

3. Heating up your genitals to bad temperatures (I am sure I found a study which said that using your laptop on your lap can reduce fertility in men).

4. The increased possibility of dropping the laptop due to an unstable working surface

 

Kids in schools shouldn't be using them on their laps due to Health and Safety regulations anyway.

[Andrew_C]

3. Heating up your genitals to bad temperatures (I am sure I found a study which said that using your laptop on your lap can reduce fertility in men).

.

.

Kids in schools shouldn't be using them on their laps due to Health and Safety regulations anyway.

>3 Cracking. I for one don't want any more, One is quite enough!

H&S should include RSI concerns, and viewing angles to the screen.

[sqdge]

3. Heating up your genitals to bad temperatures (I am sure I found a study which said that using your laptop on your lap can reduce fertility in men).

 

I still have access to the academic journal search engines - Here it is!

[kestrel1]

3. Heating up your genitals to bad temperatures (I am sure I found a study which said that using your laptop on your lap can reduce fertility in men).

Yeah, I saw this one. Never bothered with kids anyway, you get put off after working in a school.

[Friez]

The daily mail claim that video games will turn everyone into MURDERERS. Holy crapola batman! We have a bunch of mass murderers working in a school, and all these poor innocent school children will grow up to be murderers too. OH NOES!

 

If I were to write one letter to the editor of the daily mail this would be it:

 

"Piss off"

 

Newspapers promote lies

[enjay]

One of our teachers was complaining about sight problems following constantly standing in the glare of her projector - she had her doctor confirm this so we raised the height of all our projectors

It would have been more cost effective to ask her to take half a step left or right when addressing the class.

Ordinarily, yes, and of course we do tell our staff that, however in this specific instance it was not possible due to the way the room is laid out. It was actually not possible for her to get fully out of sight of the projector - she could get out of the beam itself, but the light source was still sufficiently close that it was in her eyes.

 

Even in the better rooms, standing to one side of the board doesn't fully remove you from the light - even if you're not directly looking down the glare, if it is in your peripheral vision it could do damage.

[localzuk]

Well, they are potential murderers! Haven't you seen the look they get in their eyes when you tell them not to run in a corridor?

[enjay]

I've just read the two articles linked from the Daily Mail and the BBC. It is interesting to note that they both, especially the BBC one, draw links between Wi-Fi and mobile phones. Considering that the reports into the health risks of mobile phones (including those of the HPA referenced in the Daily Mail's article) conclude, at best, that damage is only likely in very high volume users, I am not sure I see a great risk.

 

Wi-Fi might possibly may could be a slight threat to our children, however considering the behavioural differences which my wife's school saw when they stopped selling sweets and fizzy drinks at lunchtime, I am not sure that a ban on Wi-Fi is addressing the greatest risk first.

 

(insert disclaimer here that this is my opinion and not that of my employer, if the HM asks me to turn off the wireless, then I will have little choice)

[enjay]

Here's another thought on the subject - I'm assuming that any potential threat from Wi-Fi is coming from the radio waves causing cell damage, cancer, etc (as mobile phones allegedly do). So why then are the articles talking about ADHD, concentration issues and behavioural problems?

[Domino]

I've yet to hear of any parent s taking down their HOME wireless router yet either......

[kestrel1]

Lets face it, we are all gonna snuff it at some time. Be it naturally or with some sort of disease. If our brains are fried by the radio waves first, we won't even know or care.

I am not normally a pesamist.