DeKalb parents speak out against cell tower ban

DeKalb County parents speak out today against nine proposed cell phone towers at schools in DeKalb. 

They are supporting local legislation by Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) that would ban schools in the county as future locations for towers.

“I don’t advocate putting my child or any other child’s life at risk for the sake of wireless cell phone connectivity,” says Shawn Jones, a concerned parent who testified at a hearing sponsored by Drenner.

But a representative from the industry told those at the hearing they should not be concerned about health risks.

“The FCC places extreme limits on the amount of radiation that a wireless facility can emit,” says Ellen Smith, co-chair of the Georgia Wireless Association Regulatory Committee.

She says the same concerns could be made about microwaves, police scanners, baby monitors, or wireless routers.

“If you enact this legislation it would adversely impact and impede the deployment of wireless infrastructure in the state of Georgia which would prohibit the state from competing with other neighboring states for economic development and other opportunities,” she says.

Drenner says her bill would not affect any of the cell phone towers that are currently under contract in DeKalb. 

She says she is also considering filing legislation that would prohibit future towers from being placed on any school property in the state.