Rock Church’s decision to allow a T-Mobile cell phone antenna on a Point Loma campus building has alarmed some parents concerned about their children’s safety.

“A cell tower was installed on my children’s school without notice and parents are currently fighting this,” said Rock Academy parent Joseph Guilmet. “I don’t understand why the Rock Church would allow this on a school 20 feet above preschoolers if there is even a slight chance of them being exposed to harmful radiation. And why was this done without us even knowing?”

“The Rock Church and Academy decided to lease a portion of its Point Loma campus building roof to T-Mobile for a cell phone antenna to generate additional income for the ministry,” responded Rock Church spokesperson Meiling Nazar. “The Rock’s congregants and parents expressed concerns about the cell antenna installation, and as a church, we are heartbroken to see how our decision has affected the Rock’s parents and families.

“We have been in ongoing discussions with our Rock families and parents to listen to and acknowledge their concerns and feedback. To address their concerns, the Rock is engaged in efforts to address and resolve these concerns with T-Mobile,” Nazar said.

Rock Academy is a private Christian school serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. As of 2016, it had 405 students. In 2007, the academy moved to its current home at 2277 Rosecrans St., adjacent to the Rock Church in Liberty Station. It then expanded to serve high school students.

The Federal Communications Commission regulates cell phone towers. Exposure levels from towers must comply with the FCC’s radiofrequency radiation exposure guidelines, which were developed to protect the public from RF-related health risks. According to the FCC, the energy levels associated with the radiofrequency field and microwave radiation are not great enough to cause the ionization of atoms and molecules, and RF energy is, therefore, a type of non-ionizing radiation.

The government’s position is that there is currently no strong evidence that exposure to RF waves from cellphone towers causes adverse health effects, such as cancer. Experts across several industries say the exposure risk is low, even on the ground near cellphone towers.

But not everyone agrees, including some Rock Academy parents.

“Having a 5G tower on top of the building with students as well as faculty members for long periods of time in close proximity is extremely dangerous and untested,” said Ben Jackson. “Even short-term exposure for those attending church services for a couple of hours a week might also have dangerous effects over time.”

At this time, there’s no strong evidence that exposure to RF waves from cell phone towers causes any noticeable health effects, according to the American Cancer Society. However, this does not mean that the RF waves from cell phone towers have been proven to be safe. Most expert organizations agree that more research is needed to help clarify this, especially for any possible long-term effects, according to the American Cancer Society.

“It is very concerning that when we are looking at safety, we are relying on 25-year-old studies by what appears to be another industry-captured agency, the FCC,” said Margaret Baird, grandmother of two Rock Academy elementary students. “It seems to be marketing out of the Big Tobacco and Big Pharma playbooks.”

“I fear this is a health and safety issue for everyone in the vicinity,” said Academy parent and registered nurse Tiffany Preciado. “RF exposure is known to affect children the most. There are at least 1,000 school children in the one block surrounding the antennas.”

To date, Rock Academy parents say there is no signage warning of the hazards of high voltage and cell phone antennas.

RF ENERGY

The energy levels associated with radiofrequency field (RF) and microwave radiation are not great enough to cause the ionization of atoms and molecules, and RF energy is, therefore, a type of non-ionizing radiation. Other types of non-ionizing radiation include visible and infrared light. Often the term “radiation” is used, colloquially, to imply that ionizing radiation (radioactivity), such as that associated with nuclear power plants, is present. Ionizing radiation should not be confused with the lower-energy, non-ionizing radiation with respect to possible biological effects, since the mechanisms of action are quite different. SOURCE: fcc.gov/general/fcc-policy-human-exposure