A group of teachers that are members of The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association are looking to ban WiFi in schools because of the potential health risks. The author of the article that I read about has a very strong opinion about this debate, which I agree with. In the article it states that "Radiation exposure from WiFi is about 100,000 times less than waves emitted from a microwave". He makes the argument that if we remove wireless routers, why not remove the microwaves as well since they also pose a risk. I agree fully because it is contradictory to allow the removal of a very useful and efficient technology, wireless internet, while on the other hand allow the convenience of a microwave oven while both present the same health concern.
Wireless internet is wildly used around the world and some cities are even implementing municipal wireless networks, which turns the whole city into a large wireless access zone. Clearly if WiFi posed such danger, this would not even be considered in such a large scale as an entire city. Wireless internet, in my opinion, is a great asset as it allows students to access information, or allows teachers to present information in a variety of ways.
As a personal example, when I was in grade 7, all we did during every history class was copy page after page on an overhead slide and none of it was ever really presented or explained. We did have internet, but wireless internet wasn't implemented into school. If we had some multimedia presentation I think my view of history class would be quite different, since all I really didn't benefit from being in that class.
Conclusively, wireless internet in elementary schools seems more beneficial to education than detrimental to health, and I agree with the author that there should be no problem in having it in the schools.
Article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/andre-picard/a-catholic-teachers-association-
looks-to-ban-wifi-whats-next-coffee/article2343964/
I'm a commuter student from Brampton, and the school board that I was a part of (Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board) did not even have wifi in any of their schools. To access the internet you had to use a school desktop with your school login. I understand that this allowed maximum security, safety, and productivity amongst students but I felt like that really did limit our access to information. Times are changing and for students to become educated all resources must be available. Limiting a students access to the internet (in my opinion) is limiting their access to knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI am from the York Region District School Board and we also did not have WiFi. We did have computers, about 3, in almost every class room but they were rarely used by students. Although when I was in elementary school about 7 years ago WiFi hadn't really blown up yet, I can see how it would be an issue in the present. Allowing children to learn using internet seems to have only benefits, and not allowing WiFi in schools because of 'health issues' seems a but ridiculous in my opinion.
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