The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, November 13, 2013 | 12 Wi-Fi will remain in public elementary schools by Bob Mitchell Special to Oakville Beaver Wi-Fi will remain in all Halton public schools after a bid to have it limited for some elementary students, and banned outright for others, was shot down. Trustees will continue to monitor the health risks as new information is revealed by world and Canadian health experts, but for now most trustees believe there aren't any risks associated with electromagnetic effects of wireless use in schools. "I'm more concerned about the harm turn- ing off Wi-Fi will do to our children than turning it on," Oakville trustee Don Vrooman said at the Nov. 6 Halton District School Board (HDSB) meeting. "How much harm will we do by failing to prepare our students to be leaders in the world where these are the very tools they will need?" Some studies have suggested a possible link between Wi-Fi use and symptoms such as dermatological redness, tingling and burning sensation, fatigue, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, nausea, heart palpitations and digestive problems. Milton trustee Nancy MacNeill urged her peers to limit the use of Wi-Fi in elementary schools as I'm more concerned about the harm turning off Wi-Fi will do to our children than turning it on. How much harm will we do by failing to prepare our students to be leaders in the world where these are the very tools they will need? Oakville trustee Don Vrooman minds brilliant compassionate hearts inspirational leaders November 16th 10 am - 2 pm October 19th and November 16th · 10 am - 2 pm Open House November 26th Grade 9 Information Evening 6 pm - 8 pm For more information please call 905-891-1890 x 103 or email: admissions@hnmcs.ca 2241 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga (QEW/Mississauga Rd.) admissions@hnmcs.ca · For more information please call 905-891-1890 x 103 Enriched university preparatory school for girls in grades 5-12. Proudly affiliated with St. Michael's College School. www.hnmcs.ca a precautionary move, insisting there isn't enough evidence either way right now to prove whether Wi-Fi is safe, especially for children. "We are neither scientists nor health-care professionals and with all due respect, I don't believe anybody in this room is qualified to decide whether it's safe or dangerous," said MacNeill, whose motion was defeated 9-1. Under her proposal, Wi-Fi would be limited to 90 minutes each day for most students and banned outright for the youngest students and those with learning disabilities. MacNeill wanted Wi-Fi to be turned on for only the first 45 minutes and the last 45 minutes of each day at every school. The trustee also wanted it turned off completely in areas where JK, SK and Grade 1 students are being taught, as well as where students with learning disabilities are located. The trustee agreed international and national health organizations don't have enough information to say Wi-Fi use is safe, but insisted neither do they have enough to say it "isn't safe." "I believe more research is needed and this may take years so what do we do now?" MacNeill posed to fellow board members. "Our position as trustees is to do our best for children and allowing them to sit all day in an environment that cannot be proven to be safe is in my opinion not our best." Before the vote, Jennifer Foster, a Grade 8 student at Sam Sherratt Public School in Milton, urged trustees not to pass MacNeill's motion, saying Wi-Fi was vital to her learning. From working on math projects to doing geography research, Foster said Internet access via Wi-Fi is the most valuable tool she uses each day in school and it's impossible to connect via cable every time she needs to use the Internet. "I don't know how I would be able to complete my studies without the Internet," she said. "It constantly provides new information that we can't get from books." In voting against MacNeill's motion, Halton Hills Trustee Alice Strachan urged board officials to continue to do research into the matter. "We should re-visit this in the future and pay attention and have our antennae up in the future," Strachan said. Board vice-chair Kathryn Bateman-Olmstead said the majority of parents of students, who use technology are very clear in that "wireless is the most important tool" for their children. WWW.ERINMILLSMAZDA.COM Make This November A November To Remember 3 DAYS ONLY 14th, 15th & 16th November 2012 MAZDA3 GX $ starting from Various Colours AVAILABLE Bring In This Ad To Qualify To Win A 32" Flat Screen T.V.** 12,995 +HST * ONLY 12 LefT ! Never Before has a Mazda3 GX Been Priced So Low! *Price is plus HST & License. Vehicles are previous rental/fleet. CPO program price is $16,995 plus HST. While quantities last.**With every 2012 Mazda3 GX purchased you will qualify to Win a 32" TV See Erin Mills Mazda for details. Where www.erinmillsmazda.com 1-866-716-4563 Customer Counts General Manager Ravi Menon 2400 Motorway Blvd. Mississauga, ON L5L 1X3 "We will NOT be undersold!"