According to the Centers for Disease Control, no federal limits for worker exposure to EMFs have been recommended or established due to scientific uncertainty. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health does not consider EMFs a proven health hazard. Other government agencies also have refrained from setting limits or guidelines because EMFs, especially low‑level fields, have not proven to be a health risk.

However, because of conflicting data and since the public continues to be concerned, there are ongoing studies being conducted by many researchers, including the World Health Organization.

The cell tower at Stepping Stones Academy is located in the middle of the courtyard at the center of campus. Cricket Communications is the operator of the tower. The school is located at 35812 N. 7th Street.

Stephanie Streett took two of her children out of the school upon finding out about the cell tower. She said she was offended not only by how the pole was installed over the summer without telling parents, but by school personnel’s “arrogance” and “nastiness” toward her when she questioned them about it.

“They told me it was only going to be a flagpole,” Streett said. “But the pole is about 75 feet tall. So I asked them, ‘Who are you in competition with, the White House?’”

Greg Garbero, whose daughter is in first grade at the school, works in the telecommunications industry and said parents who took their children out of the school are overreacting. “In a perfect world, we all wish our kids could go to school in some remote part of Montana.”

Referring to several studies done on the subject, he said researchers “have yet to come up with any negative effects.”

Garbero also referred The Desert Advocate to several Web sites indicating cell phone towers pose no known risks to humans due to the low frequencies they operate on, enforced by the Federal Communications Commission and approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

However, parent Elisabeth Cosgrove was keen to point out the phrase “known risks.”

“For years we thought asbestos was safe,” Cosgrove said. “Even if there’s only a small chance, I can’t take that chance with my children. Life is too difficult as it is.”

“I don’t want to expose my daughter to this 35 hours a week,” Heidi Cullum said.       

Dedre Alliger, one of the two principals of the charter school, said when Channel 3 did a story about the cell tower, a noted neurologist vouched for the safety of the tower on school grounds.

Alliger also said she isn’t sure why the school is being described as deceitful. “We tried to get the information out in as timely a manner as possible.”

AnnMarie Short, the school’s other principal, related that a permit delay on a new building a few years ago produced the same accusations, prompting the school to hold off announcing any kind of cell tower project until the deal was done.

“It seems like we can’t win,” Short said. “We are truly saddened people feel this way. That’s not what this school stands for.”

Alliger stated the school was preparing its latest newsletter to announce the cell tower when the first media reports surfaced and, as a result, they delayed releasing the newsletter in order to reflect what had been said on television.

“We didn’t get the newsletter out as soon as we would’ve liked,” Alliger said.

Neither of the principals had an exact figure available for the number of students removed from the school last week.

Streett, though, said she is very unhappy with how the situation was handled, expressing her frustration over not being informed the school was considering installation of a cell phone tower. Streett also said she was called and asked to support the move, even though she already had gone on television to speak against it.

Brenda Good, mother to a third‑grader, stated she really has no problem with the cell tower or the manner in which the school handled the matter. “The signal goes up; that’s what I always thought.”

Cosgrove said part of the problem is placement. “If they had put it in a different place, we probably wouldn’t be leaving.”

Alliger noted the pole’s location is by design, not at the insistence of Cricket.

“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it; there’s lots of power lines in that area, and everyone uses a microwave,” said Sergei Droban, father of two children at the school. “Besides, I’m talking to you on a cell phone.”

To check out the studies cited in this article, go to www.fda.gov/cellphones/qa.html, and hps.org/publicinformat‑ion/ate/q79.html.