WYANDOTTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Tuesday night, parents in Wyandotte are preparing to meet with T-Mobile to discuss a 5G cellphone tower built atop Washington Elementary School.
7 Action News has followed this issue over the past several weeks. We're told this is the first meeting involving T-Mobile.
In a letter sent to families on Monday, Superintendent Catherine Cost said breaching the contract with T-Mobile could cost "millions" if T-Mobile sues the district.
Josh Castmore has two daughters at Washington.
“Our ultimate concern is the safety of our kids," he told 7 Action News.
Once the tower is activated, Castmore is concerned exposure to the 5G signal would put children's long-term health in jeopardy.
“All of the data that we have suggests that, at best, we don’t know what we don’t know about this technology and at worst, we’ve done a deal with the devil here," Castmore said.
T-Mobile signed a lease with the district in 2018 to install the 5G tower, according to the district. According to the superintendent and concerned parents, communication from the district this past September about construction led to pushback from parents and multiple meetings.
Castmore hopes Tuesday night's meeting with T-Mobile is a turning point.
“Our message to T-Mobile is that you have a chance here to get out of this with your dignity intact and to move this somewhere that is is safe," he said.
Castmore said he and other parents are hoping to get their questions answered and to start a conversation to get the tower removed from the school.
In the letter sent Monday, the superintendent said alternatives have been presented to T-Mobile for tower placement, but the company won’t budge.
Castmore, who's an attorney said, “I really question how and where she’s getting this information from. My position is that T-Mobile is already in breach of the contract because they’re not complying with our local laws."
He added, "But even if that wasn’t the case, I don’t understand how a simple breach of contract case could turn into millions of dollars, especially since alternative locations have been offered to T-Mobile."
He said parents are prepared to file a class action lawsuit of their own.
7 Action News reached out to the superintendent and T-Mobile for comment. As of Tuesday evening, we have not heard back.
