Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
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Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
1–10 of 33 posts
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#2It sounds to me like a psychogenic illness similar to the Tanganyika laughter epidemic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanganyika_laughter_epidemic
It is extremely unlikely that wifi would make kids sick. These same kids probably get wifi exposure at home too, even if it is just spill over wifi signals from their neighbor's homes. The parents clearly don't know enough about psychology or electronics.
Chances are the parents are inadvertently encouraging psychosomatic symptoms in their impressionable children.
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#3Well, I can understand it from at least a security perspective (usually inter-connected wifi points use horribly unsecure setups), but this is pretty cute, their reasoning.
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#4Mold can and does actually, scientifically speaking, make people sick. Associating that with unmitigated bullshit like the WiFi idiots is just degrading.
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#5I am always surprised by people's lack of critical thinking capabilities. I saw Michael Shermer (founder of Skeptic Magazine) speak at a conference recently. It was a little frightening how much data he has on the irrationality of our fellow man.
The thing that frightens me the most is the areas I personally exhibit irrationality in that I don't know about. I'm actually OK being irrational if I know I am (I can make decisions taking that into account), but I have little doubt there are places that I don't know, where I make stupid decisions.
In the meantime, we should all turn off all our electric devices, wrap our houses in faraday cages, filter all of our water, and wear respirators. Wouldn't want to be unsafe, now would we?
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#6I'm confused. What's the advantage to wifi in schools? Is it just saving money on wiring the school with ethernet? Are students being permitted to take laptops into school now?
I suppose the saving money argument is actually a pretty good one, but any new school will probably be wired anyway, so that should only apply to older construction.
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#7"Some parents in the Barrie, Ont., area say their children are showing a host of symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness to nausea and even racing heart rates."
Maybe they're going through caffeine/sugar withdrawal away from home? I'd be interested to know what the rates of obesity are among these children and how much physical activity they get at school and at home. I don't think they should discount stress either -- from other kids, parents, etc.
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#8I'm confused. What's the advantage to wifi in schools? Is it just saving money on wiring the school with ethernet? Are students being permitted to take laptops into school now? I suppose the saving money argument is actually a pretty good one, but any new school will probably be wired anyway, so that should only apply to older construction.
I'm a teacher.
Couple of good things:
* We use laptops a lot in lessons, plus the kids can use their laptops/iPods/phones or whatever on the network as well.
* We can move round the room much more easily than when using the ethernet cables, useful when using dataloggers in Science.
* Useful for older parts of the school that aren't wired.
* Useful outside
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#9I'm confused. What's the advantage to wifi in schools? Is it just saving money on wiring the school with ethernet? Are students being permitted to take laptops into school now? I suppose the saving money argument is actually a pretty good one, but any new school will probably be wired anyway, so that should only apply to older construction.
I can think of a lot of reasons: Teachers are able to use tablet computers without having to be tethered to the wall, classes that permit students to bring laptops or similar devices are able to use the internet, "mobile labs" (carts filled with laptops that can be brought into classes) are able to use the internet, students that bring iPod touches or other handheld internet devices are able to quickly look things up during class.
Re: Banning Wi-Fi From Schools
#10Happened in the UK, the same parents also overturned a ban on kids having cell phones.
Apparently it's vital for their safety that they keep a 1W 1.8Ghz transmitter glued to their head at all times, but it's lethal to have a 100mW 2.4Ghz transmitter in another room.