(WXYZ) — The controversy over a cellphone tower on top of an elementary school in Wyandotte is continuing and we're hearing from a professor who has studied digital communication.
Parents were surprised and concerned about the health impact of a cellphone antenna on top of Washington Elementary and close to its playground. Now, some are threatening to change schools.
Four years ago, the Wyandotte School Board approved the installation of the tower, but construction was delayed by the pandemic. T-Mobile is paying the district about $1,000 a month for the space and has complied with all federal, state, and city requirements.
Caitlin Moore, who has sons in kindergarten and second grade, said she was shocked when she found out about the tower.
Moore and other parents have been protesting the tower's installation.
"If they don’t take it down are your children going to stay in this school?" I asked.
"Actually they are currently being re-enrolled into other school districts," one parent said.
Michelle Sanders, the director of lease and site optimization for T-Mobile, appeared with a contractor who planned the antenna at a recent school board meeting.
"We have all of our state permits, all or our local permits and a valid contract that allows that cell site to operate safely," she said.
She also said the antenna complies with FCC safety regulations.
"And as I said the theoretical modeling on the rooftop showed they are well below those limits," she said.
According to the district, Site Safe, an outside organization, also provided a safety report on the tower. They conducted a model of Washington Elementary and took RF measurements.
"Due to the reduction levels discussed, the exposure levels on the school building rooftop, within the school building, and at any areas at ground level, including all of the school property grounds and playground, is well below the FCC's accepted General Public MPE Limit," the SiteSafe report said.
Wayne State Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Dr. John Liu has studied digital communications for more than 40 years.
He says studies show there is a risk. In 2016 - the US National Toxicology Program released findings showing rats developed tumors after exposure to such radiation.
"Radiofrequency from the cellular tower is harmful to people," he told us.
The American Cancer Society has called for more research. It pointed out the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF radiation emitted by such antennas as, “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
At the same time, The FCC has said such antennas result in RF emission exposure far below safety limits. Liu wondered without conclusive evidence it is safe - is it ethical to put an antenna on a school?
"Somebody puts an antenna on an elementary school chimney. What do you think that is? Other than greed. They just want to save money," he said.
Wyandotte Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Catherine Cost said it likely cost "millions of dollars" if they break their contract with T-Mobile.
She said the district has looked into what would happen if they broke the contract with T-Mobile.
"The District would be sued by T-Mobile, and our insurance will not cover this. Based on the signed contract, our legal counsel has said we would be responsible for paying T-Mobile for damages, attorney fees, and court costs, which could be in the millions of dollars," she wrote. "These fees would come out of the general fund. That is why this impacts every family and every staff member, as there would be less available to the remaining classrooms an staff members."
Parents protesting the antenna they are having an information meeting Thursday night to raise awareness of their concerns
