American Academy of Pediatrics Demands FCC Protect Children from Cell Phone & Wireless Radiation

Letter from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the 

FCC Regarding Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Standards

The American Academy of Pediatrics submitted the following letter to the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC). 

The letter urges the FCC to adopt radiation standards that:

1.)  protect children's health and well-being from radiation emitted by cell phones and other 
wireless devices; 2.)  reflect how people actually use their cell phones; and 
3.)  provide sufficient information to enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

The letter is also  available on the FCC's web site at http://bit.ly/17tQclg.

August 29, 2013 

The Honorable Mignon L. Clyburn

Acting Commissioner 

Federal Communications Commission 

445 12th Street SW 

Washington, DC 20054

The Honorable Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg

Commissioner 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

10903 New Hampshire Avenue 

Silver Spring, MD 20993

  

Dear Acting Chairwoman Clyburn and Commissioner Hamburg:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a non-profit professional organization of 
60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical 
specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, 
and young adults appreciates this opportunity to comment on the Proposed Rule 
“Reassessment of Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Limits and Policies” 
published in the Federal Register on June 4, 2013. 
 
In the past few years, a number of American and international health and scientific bodies 
have contributed to the debate over cell phone radiation and its possible link to cancer. The
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the United Nations’ 
World Health Organization, said in June 2011 that a family of frequencies that includes 
mobile-phone emissions is “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”  The National Cancer 
Institute has stated that although studies have not demonstrated that RF energy from 
cell phones definitively causes cancer, more research is needed because cell phone technology 
and cell phone use are changing rapidly. These studies and others clearly demonstrate the 
need for further research into this area and highlight the importance of reassessing current 
policy to determine if it is adequately protective of human health. 

As radiation standards are reassessed, the AAP urges the FCC to adopt radiation standards 
that:  

Protect children’s health and well-being. Children are not little adults and are 
disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. 
Current FCC standards do not account for the unique vulnerability and use patterns specific 
to pregnant women and children. It is essential that any new standard for cell phones or other 
wireless devices be based on protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations to 
ensure they are safeguarded throughout their lifetimes. 

Reflect current use patterns. The FCC has not assessed the standard for cell phone 

radiation since 1996. Approximately 44 million people had mobile phones when the standard 

was set; today, there are more than 300 million mobile phones in use in the United States. 

While the prevalence of wireless phones and other devices has skyrocketed, the behaviors 

around cell phone uses have changed as well. The number of mobile phone calls per day, the 

length of each call, and the amount of time people use mobile phones has increased, while cell 

phone and wireless technology has undergone substantial changes. Many children, adolescents

and young adults, now use cell phones as their only phone line and they begin using wireless 
phones at much younger ages. Pregnant women may carry their phones for many hours per 
day in a pocket that keeps the phone close to their uterus. Children born today will experience 
a longer period of exposure to radio-frequency fields from cellular phone use than will adults, 
because they start using cellular phones at earlier ages and will have longer lifetime exposures. 
FCC regulations should reflect how people are using their phones today. 

Provide meaningful consumer disclosure. The FCC has noted that it does not provide 

consumers with sufficient information about the RF exposure profile of individual phones to 

allow consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. The current metric of RF exposure 

available to consumers, the Specific Absorption Rate, is not an accurate predictor of actual 

exposure. AAP is supportive of FCC developing standards that provide consumers with the 

information they need to make informed choices in selecting mobile phone purchases, and to 

help parents to better understand any potential risks for their children. To that end, we 

support the use of metrics that are specific to the exposure children will experience. 

The AAP supports the reassessment of radiation standards for cell phones and other wireless 
products and the adoption of standards that are protective of children and reflect current 
use patterns. If you have questions, please contact Clara Filice in the AAP’s Washington 
Office at 202/347-8600.

Sincerely, 

Thomas K. McInerny, MD FAAP

President

How to Lobby a Legislator

HB 563: Drenner and Hensen Try Again

There is a new bill, HB 563, on the table for the next legislative session of the Georgia House of Representatives that would do what a previous bill did not:  ban cell towers from public school grounds in DeKalb County.  So far, only two state representatives, Drenner and Hensen, have signed on to it, however.  In order for the bill to get anywhere, it will need Republican backing.

Perhaps Mike Jacobs or Tom Taylor would be willing to co-sponsor the bill in order to help DeKalb residents in their ongoing efforts to protect their children and schools from the unwanted intrusion by the telecommunications industry onto public grounds this way.   Here is the text from HB 563.  If you support this effort, please email your representative at the state.  Find your representatives here: http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/

T-Mobile Wants to Run the City of Tucker

Get this .... So, it may not too surprising, but still leaves us flabbergasted as to the extremes T-mobile will go to get their way... just learned that at least one person on the board for Tucker 2014, the city advocacy group that appeared out of nowhere and raised $30K cash without holding any major fundraisers, also works for T-mobile. Shocker.

Here is a link to his profile in the group Tucker 2014:  http://tucker2014.com/bio  (Look for Tres Scott).

Here is a link to his LinkedIn Profile:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tres-scott/4/814/ab9  In case it is taken down, here is what it says about him:

Tres Scott's Experience

Manager, IT Revenue Validation

T-mobile

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; DT; Telecommunications industry

October 2005 – Present (8 years)

But, wait, there's more ... his wife was a part of our "Save Tucker!" group as she pretended to be on the fence about cityhood so she could report back to the city group about what we were doing an saying in our closed FB group.

As for the other members of their board - 2 of the 3 live on the same street as the T-mobile person. The third is a Libertarian (likes big business) who kicked one of our members off his Yahoo Discussion group for asking if anyone knew of an attorney in the area who could help stop T-mobile from putting cell towers at our public schools.

Zoning hearing tomorrow at the county level at 6:30 p.m. We're hoping to convince them that current zoning regulations are fine and do not need to be changed. Then, we'll have to focus on educating everyone all over again because the "city" that T-mobile wants to build is focused on three things: ZONING, PARKS, PUBLIC SAFETY.

In other words, cell towers on every block and everyone else gets a pink slip and higher taxes to pay for the spy cameras at every traffic light. Soon after they take office they will advocate for online education... you heard it here first. (Well, unless you live elsewhere, then you have already been down this path before.)

For more, please follow us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/Get.the.Cell.Out.ATL

IMPORTANT MEETING: Cell towers focus of DeKalb meeting Monday

GTCO-ATL URGENT NOTICE:  If you do not want a cell phone tower to be placed at your child's school or in a residentially zoned part of DeKalb County, you are urged to attend this important meeting on MONDAY at 6:30 p.m.  

A show of support is very much needed so that we may keep ALL of our children, ALL of our schools and ALL of our communities safe from the unwanted and unnecessary intrusion of these dangerous structures.  

If you would like to be reminded about the many, many reasons that we believe cell towers should not be permitted in residential areas or on public properties such as schools, please refer to the bottom of this article.

Meeting notice, From the AJC

By April Hunt

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DeKalb County, which is in the process of rewriting its county code, will hold an informational meeting Monday about possible new regulations on cell towers.

The placement of towers on county schools has been a hot button issue among residents for years. Residents can offer input on code changes at the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce St., Decatur.

Cell Towers Should Not Be Allowed in 

My Neighborhood or at My Child's School Because ...

1.)  A Non-Binding Advisory Referendum was conducted by the state legislature in July 2012 which showed overwhelming support for keeping cell towers OFF our school grounds.  62% of voters (more than 75,000 residents upon the final tally) voted NO when asked if telecommunications structures should be allowed on any public elementary, middle, high school or charter school in DeKalb County.  16 of 18 members of the DeKalb Delegation in the House also agreed by signing on to Rep. Karla Drenner's bill that would have banned this practice completely in DeKalb.  The bill was killed in committee by someone who does not even live here and who has been found guilty of DUI three times (Rep. Chuck Sims - R).  Obviously, his judgment is questionable and if it had not been for his decision to stop the bill, we would not even be discussing this issue right now.  

2.)  100% of the communities that were actually facing the possibility of a cell tower at their local school voted NO on the referendum, stating they do NOT want cell towers on school grounds.  Their voices have never been officially heard as the school board approved the decision without giving proper notification to the homeowners at any of the schools and giving a misleading flyer to parents which resulted in a failed attempt to hold public meetings on the subject.  Even then, the majority of the board members themselves did not even attend these meetings.  There was no Superintendent at the time the issue was voted on and nearly every board member (except Dr. Walker) later stated in a public meeting hosted by Crossroads News that they would have voted differently if they had to make the decision again.  And, in fact, the county commissioners themselves have already made a joint statement aganst the towers.

3.)  Cell Towers lower property values.  Fact.  Most of our county is already suffering from a decline in property values as a result of the housing crisis.  

4.)  RF radiation from a cell tower is constant, background radiation that you cannot escape from.  We know that high power radiation causes cancer.  What researchers are still debating is the long-term effects of low power exposure.  However, there has been enough evidence to cause the world's leading authority on cancer, the World Health Organization, to upgrade it to a "possible human carcinogen."  This announcement was made PRIOR to the school board's decision and should have been considered RELEVANT new information that would have given them cause to vote differently than other school boards in our area.  Their justification that it has taken place elsewhere is not enough for us to say that it is okay for us here.  In fact, this one area could be a way to help DeKalb appeal to new homebuyers and help restore our schools to a higher standard where we place the lives and education of children FIRST.  

5.)  Cell towers are aesthetically unpleasant.  Zoning laws should take into consideration what the residents in an area want or do not want to see when looking out their windows or driving through their neighborhood.  I do not know anyone who would want to be within sight of a cell tower.

5.)  Crime is invited to our communities when we place cell towers near our homes.  Constant 24 hour access is provided to our school grounds and, for many, to the back doors and back yards of our homes that are next to the schools.  The copper theft in the metro area has been widely reported and there is no security provided to keep unwanted intruders from using these parking areas to scope out our homes, or watch our children on their playgrounds or as they walk in their own neighborhoods.  This is a danger we do not need to add to the list for our police force, which is already spread thin.

6.)  The fall zone of a tower is necessary to be one and a half times the total height of a tower.  If this is not followed in a residential area, then you are placing a tower near structures that are occupied by people most of the time.  If a tower were to fall over for any reason, human life and private and public property is at risk.  Will the county's insurance cover the damage that would occur in these cases?  If not, they need to keep the cell towers in commercial and industrial areas as they are now.

7.)  Dangers of falling ice and debris.  Many injuries can happen in winter if ice collects at the top of a tower overnight and then large portions fall to the ground as the sun warms it later in the day.

8.)  Cell tower climbers could fall traumatizing children or residents who witness it.  It is currently known as the most dangerous job in America.  In fact, people on the ground could be killed by something as simple as a screwdriver falling out of a tower climber's pocket because of the rate of speed and resulting force by which it would hit anything in its way at ground level.  We've seen what a falling limb can do when it strikes a child.  We do not need to place more of these dangers above our children's heads.

9.)  It is NOT necessary to place cell towers closer to our homes or at our schools.  We have plenty of towers in our area as they each can transmit from 5 - 15 miles and federal law mandates that they exhaust all possibilities for co-location prior to building new structures.  If they want to build new towers, it is purely a competitive game of owning a tower closer so that the competition has to sublease from them instead of the other way around.  There are NO dead zones in all of DeKalb County, as confirmed by the FCC's latest map on 3G nationwide expansion.  Unless a cell company can prove it actually NEEDS for our zoning laws to change, why would we offer to make things easier for them (and more expensive for ourselves)?  They have all the access they need right now.  They may just have to pay a little more to provide the service by utilizing the existing towers and subleasing options available to them.  This is not an industry that needs our help in order to profit.  They are one of the richest industries in the world right now, just behind oil and war.  

10.)  Distrust of government is a big issue here right now. The Snowden case with the federal government already has citizens on edge about whether or not the U.S. government is spying on ordinary citizens, intercepting their wireless calls without search warrants or without any justifiable cause.  Citizens in DeKalb are already very aware of the allegations of corruption in various levels of our government.  We do not need more reasons to distrust you or be suspicious of those who are supposed to represent us.  What we DO need are reasons to trust.

CELL TOWERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED 

IN ANY PART OF OUR COUNTY 

THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY ZONED FOR THEM.   

Please, represent us in the way that we have asked you to.  Do not allow the tainted money of the telecommunications industry to sway you.

September Board Meeting - Tonight at 7 p.m. (Public Comments at 5:45 p.m.) Technology to be Discussed

Tune in to the very important September 9, 2013 Board meeting
Posted on September 8, 2013 by dekalbschoolwatch

The main meetings are broadcast on Comcast 24 and streamed on the DCSS website here.

Here’s the schedule for today’s meetings:

Work Session – 2:00 pm Click here for the agenda.
Public comments – 5:45 pm (New, Town Hall style) (J. David Williamson Board Room)
Business Meeting – 7:00 pm (J. David Williamson Board Room) Click here for the agenda.

Below is the agenda for the 7 pm business meeting:

Meeting Agenda (click here to see details)

A. CALL TO ORDER
1. ROSTER
2. INSPIRATION; PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. RECOGNITIONS
a. Special Recognition ~ DeKalb Early College Academy, 2012 Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement Award Recipient
b. Industry Certification Recognition
B. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
1. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
a. Safe Schools Initiative
b. The Bridge Initiative
c. School District Flexibility & Accountability in Georgia
d. Strategic Plan Report
C. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Approval of State Mandated Local Board Training Plan
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Approval of Monthly Financial Report
4. Approval of Human Resources Monthly Report
5. 21st Century Community Learning Centers 2013-2014 Grant Award
6. Purchase and Year Two Renewal of PD360 from School Improvement Network
7. CaseNex Professional Development Extension Agreement (ESOL)
8. CaseNex Professional Development Extension Agreement (Gifted)
9. Procurement for all Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Materials and Scoring Fees
10. Approval of Tapestry Public Charter School, Inc.
11. Approve Race To The Top (RT3) Funds for Executive Leadership Academy
12. Purchase of National Computer System- (NCS) Pearson, Inc. School Achievement Services for McNair Middle School, McNair High School and Towers High School
13. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) and the City Schools of Decatur regarding regular education students attending the DeKalb Alternative School.
14. DCSD Middle School Telecommunications Hardware Refresh (Year 2 of 5)
15. Flip-Top Computer Desks, Bid #14-246
16. 21st Century Classroom Technology
17. District Wide Cabling and Wireless System (Year 2 of 5)
18. SPLOST III Project: Knollwood ES HVAC, Ceiling and Lighting Replacement, and ADA Improvements Contract Award
19. Bid No. 14-25 Purchase Cold Storage Services
20. Chamblee Charter High School Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) Package
21. TRANSPORTATION
a. Monthly School Bus Inspection Contract Extension (RFP 13-456)
b. CMAQ Early Bus Replacement (Grant)
c. School Bond Bus Purchase
22. Naming of Baseball Field at Tucker High School
D. ACTION ITEM (Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: READY FOR ACTION)
1. Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Board Policy EEE
2. Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Board Policy GAMA (Drug-Free Workplace)
3. Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Board Policy IC (Curriculum Development)
4. Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Board Policy IDCH (Dual/Joint Enrollment Programs)
5. Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Policy JGC (Student Health Services)
E. OTHER\BOARD COMMENTS (2 minutes each)
F. ANNOUNCEMENTS
G. ADJOURN

Click here for the monthly budget and vendor reports. This is the first report of FY14, so it is an important one.
Click here for the monthly HR report. It looks like over 1,100 people were hired in July.
In addition, click here for the July, 2013 SPLOST report (not discussed at this meeting)

As far as the vendor report goes, we found it very interesting that only three law firms were paid from the budget.
SUTHERLAND ASBILL BRENNAN LLP Total $262,583.26
ALEXANDER & ASSOCIATES $103,616.05
KING & SPALDING Total $1,216.47
Jeff Dickerson was also paid in July:
DICKERSON COMMUNICATIONS Total $24,000.00

No More Books? Who Approved This Policy for Tucker High School?

A parent of a Tucker High School student recently asked about a "Pilot Program" she had heard about in the county.  And when the administrator in charge did not have the answers, a lot of the same old concerns and worries the district has faced for years came bubbling right back up to the surface.  And, for us, a few new questions are rising to the top as well. Thank you to DeKalb School Watch Two blog for posting this story and letting the taxpayers know what is going on in our schools!

Now, let's review the history of the e-books issue:

February 12, 2013:  Get the Cell Out - ATL raised questions at the public meeting of the DeKalb County School Board about the ebooks policy that former Superintendent Atkinson was attempting to implement in DeKalb before her mysterious exit under questionable circumstances and allegations. Shortly thereafter, the entire board, sans three newly elected representatives from Districts 2, 4 and 6, was removed by Governor Deal with the help of SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The SACS report mentioned concerns about missing textbook funds that were reportedly spent on books but no records could indicate that the books had arrived. You can read the SACS report here. It says:

"Interviews and artifacts revealed that the system is dealing with a financial crisis. The district has exhausted its reserve funds and is operating with a severe monetary deficit.In utilizing options to secure material and fiscal resources to meet the needs of allstudents and improve the effectiveness of the system, the district established in 2009 atextbook leasing program with Bank of America for a $25 million credit line to purchasetextbooks. Reportedly, the credit line has been capped at $12.5 million, a debt that thesystem plans to repay over a period of seven years. The Board adopted the action itemfor the Termination of Acquisition Fund for Textbook Leasing Program.

"Schools benefitting from the purchase and distribution of the textbooks could not be identified as confirmed in the Video – Board of Education Meeting September 10, 2012. Additionally, through interviews, the team was unable to identify any schools that benefitted from textbook purchases. Stakeholders made several references to repairing textbooks and redistributing existing textbooks, but they did not provide any information about newly purchased textbooks. The Board has not received a report in relation to the status of textbooks in the district. There is purportedly a plan to incorporate the use of e-books. However, reports indicate that the district is not wireless, and only approximately 35 percent of the schools currently have some level of wireless connectivity."

The eventual answer came from Dr. Kathlene Howe from the top ranks of the school system.  She said that the money spent was not to purchase new books, but instead it was money used to complete a book leasing program that the district had entered into years ago.  So, Dr. Atkinson ended the book leasing, but where did the books go?  Does the program operate like a rent-to-own as long as you are constantly upgrading to the new edition of the book each time one comes out?  But, similar to car leasing programs, when you are finished and you elect to discontinue the leasing program, you don't get to walk away with the car at the end.  So, taxpayers and children were cheated out of any real tangible product even after years of paying into a book program because we were spending too much in other areas to be able to afford to just buy the books ourselves?  You can hear Dr. Howe's explanation during the Dr. Walker hearing, thanks to Stan Jester, Fact Checker's website here.

Get the Cell Out - ATL entered editorial on this topic FIVE times between Dec. 2012 and May 2013:

What DeKalb's Children Think About the E-book Announcement; Dec 06, 2012; Atkinson addressed a room full of suits recently at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce meeting. She announced the plans to move to I-pads and E-readers to the delight of the luncheon's gold sponsors like ATT and Georgia ..."
http://www.getthecelloutatl.com/2012/12/what-dekalbs-children-think-about-e.html

DeKalb County Schools superintendent lays out plans to go digital; Dec 12, 2012; "DeKalb County Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Atkinson holds up a netbook during the State of the System Address in which she talked about how students learn digitally as opposed to using textbooks. As part of a mission to ..."
http://www.getthecelloutatl.com/2012/12/dekalb-county-schools-superintendent.html

WIRELESS - Yeah, Most Schools Have Done That Already and Regret It.";
Jan 09, 2013; DeKalb School Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Atkinson holds up "this netbook" and brags that every school will be wireless by August 2013. We wonder if Dr. Atkinson is aware of the number of school districts throughout the world ...
http://www.getthecelloutatl.com/2013/01/wireless-yeah-most-schools-have-done.html

GTCO-ATL Non-Consent Form for WI-Fi in the Classroom; Feb 05, 2013;
And, if you think that netbooks will solve the problems in DeKalb County, take a look at what is happening in Detroit. When will our schools start modeling .... "
http://www.getthecelloutatl.com/2013/02/gtco-atl-non-consent-form-for-wi-fi-in.html

DeKalb Announces Wireless Plan That Appears to Be Behind Schedule; Apr 19, 2013; "Is it in line with the other schools in the district that SACS said we were behind? What are we providing? Simple access ..."
http://www.getthecelloutatl.com/2013/04/fourteen-schools-now-completely.html

And, here is an announcement made by a dancing and elated Dr. Atkinson regarding the ebooks last year:

Here’s a TV report about the e-books with Atkinson: http://bcove.me/codyuo7h
We also found some explanation about a Pilot Program that might be the same/similar to what Sarah heard about here: http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/online-math-textbooks-rankle-teachers-parents

And here is a link to Thurmond’s address to the parents in Tucker. He was asked about the overcrowding situation, cell towers, SACS as well as the vast refugee population that has been moved by the state into DeKalb County, near Clarkston. (Video available) http://factchecker.stanjester.com/2013/05/280/



Please leave respectful comments below:

Final Review and Approval on New County Zoning Code Expected to Take Place Sept. 16

After many discussions from the group, we have narrowed down the next VERY important meeting for all communities in DeKalb who are concerned about a cell tower going up in their residential area.  

The date is Monday, September 16.  We will post the time and location once it is announced.  

Tom Bowen pulled the cell tower issue off the June 2011
consent agenda for "further legal review," after seeing
our first petition from the Brockett community.
How much longer will this fight continue?  

This is a special meeting that will discuss the new zoning code, and from what we can tell, public comments will be welcomed.  Kathie Gannon addresses this in more detail on her website (http://www.kathiegannon.com/constituent-info-news.html).   

Jay Vinicki, Director of Policy Research, was at the August 20 meeting and we’ve been told he has a handle on the cell tower issue. He says it is VERY important that we continue our emails and phone calls to interim Chief Executive Officer, LEE MAY. He needs to know how important of an issue this is to the neighborhood residents.

Contact Information

Mr. Lee May - Interim Chief Executive Officer

DeKalb County Government

Manuel J. Maloof Center

1300 Commerce Drive, 6th Floor, Decatur, GA 30030

404-371-2881 Executive Office

404-371-2521 Neighborhood Empowerment

(ceoleemay@dekalbcountyga.gov)

404-687-2411 - Fax

Email 

Please include your home and/or business postal mailing address in order to receive a response. Thanks everyone for all your continued support in this fight.

Additional comments for consideration:

Together we can accomplish the impossible.  Please remember to include your concern for ALL the children at DeKalb County schools when discussing the policy about cell towers on school grounds.  If the tower companies are able to place a single tower at a single school, a different set of rules could come into play under the FCC Telecommunications Act of 1996.  Since it is a federal law, they could require that all schools be open to the potential for a cell tower as the Act prohibits discrimination among providers.  So, if we allow it at one school, we could be allowing it at every school and for every provider of cellular service.

Remember, there are certain zoning issues that are acceptable objections to towers.  They are usually centered around aesthetics and public safety (such as from the falling debris or from the strangers allowed access to your neighborhood on a regular basis as a result of a tower and parking spaces being place there), but they also revolve around the traffic issues, wear and tear on the roads by the large vehicles and your evidence that your property values will be harmed.  If you know a Real Estate agent who will write a letter or come to the meeting and speak about his/her experience with the local market and how they either have trouble selling homes near towers or how they avoid it or drop the price - these are all very helpful for Lee May and the commissioners to hear.  The more "experts" you can bring to speak on  your behalf, the better.  And if you cannot get the experts there, you can source or quote them and submit paperwork to document your statements. 

Get the Cell Out will continue to look for ways we can help and support this effort.  But, please contact us if you have any specific questions.  Contact us with any questions:  sayno2celltowers@yahoo.com. 

Georgia school shooting: Antoinette Tuff hailed as hero

Everyday Heroes Do Exist!  

Thank you to Antoinette Tuff and the other staff members at McNair Elementary for keeping the children safe and treating the gunman as a human being who was in need of help, not a monster who had a fate already determined.  

This woman put herself between the gunman and the children and when she had the chance to run, she stayed.  She stayed calm and saved the lives of herself, the gunman and likely many, many others.  We are grateful to the teachers and police officers and families for handling themselves so well and keeping the kids from being harmed that day. 

One tough man with a gun met his match ... One "Tuff" woman with a brain who cared!

Zoning Code Update Comments from June 18

Here are some of the comments that were made during the June 18 Board of Commissioners Meeting. Cell tower comments dominated the overall agenda and the board determined it was best to defer 30 - 90 days before making a vote to adopt the new county zoning code.

DeKalb Zoning Code Comments June 18, 2013 by Get the Cell Out - Atlanta Chapter

The final vote on whether to adopt the new zoning code was scheduled to take place Tuesday Aug. 20. We have not heard the outcome of this meeting, yet.

NSA surveillance reach broader than publicly acknowledged

The National Security Agency's surveillance network has the capacity to spy on 75 percent of all U.S. Internet traffic, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Citing current and former NSA officials for the 75 percent figure, the paper reported that the agency can observe more of Americans' online communications than officials have publicly acknowledged.

The NSA's system of programs that filter communications, achieved with the help of telecommunications companies, is designed to look for communications that either start or end abroad, or happen to pass through the U.S. between foreign countries. However, the officials told the Journal that the system's reach is so broad, that it is more likely that purely domestic communications will be intercepted as a byproduct of the hunt for foreign ones.

The NSA defended the program in a statement to Fox News.

"NSA's signals intelligence mission is centered on defeating foreign adversaries who aim to harm the country. We defend the United States from such threats while fiercely working to protect the privacy rights of U.S. persons. It's not either/or. It's both," the statement said.

The system works by using algorithms that act as filters, designed to let high-value information through amid more benign chatter. However, after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, a former to intelligence official told the Journal that the government changed its definition of "reasonable" intelligence collection, enabling the NSA to widen the holes in the "filtering" system.

The details are the latest to emerge about the NSA's operations and capabilities, as authorities in the U.S. and other countries try to stop the release of more information about the elaborate surveillance network. Members of Congress on the intelligence committees, as well as past intelligence officials, recently have spoken up in defense of the agency, particularly after a report showing the agency had broken privacy rules and overstepped its authority thousands of times.

The NSA programs described by the Journal differ from the programs described by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in a series of leaks earlier this summer. Snowden described a program to acquire Americans' phone records, as well as another program, known as PRISM, that made requests from Internet companies for stored data. By contrast, the Internet monitoring systems have the capability to track almost any online activity, so long as it is covered by a broad court order.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/21/nsa-surveillance-reach-broader-than-publicly-acknowledged/#ixzz2cjsdtZWF

Possible BOC Vote on Adopting New Zoning Code: August 20

Get the Cell Out - ATL has caught wind of a possible vote before the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners that will finalize any proposed changes that were made to the county's new zoning codes and ordinances.  An updated copy has not been located, however the original document can be found  here.

The unconfirmed date for a vote is August 20.  We are not sure if public comments will be permitted, but if you have a cell tower planned for your community or school, we suggest you start organizing your talking points now so you will be ready to go.

As soon as we have more details, we will post them here.  Thank you to the many communities who contacted us to ask about this meeting.  If you learn anything that should be shared with the larger group of countywide opposition, please email sayno2celltowers@yahoo.com and we will post your information here.

We have had a lot of progress by working together and showing our elected officials that this is an issue that politics will not be able to divide us over.  The children of DeKalb are too important to take a back seat to money, greed or corruption.  They deserve the best shot possible at a healthy childhood and an educational environment free from potential safety hazards or commercial

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Smoke Rise Residents Reach Out to DeKalb's New Interim CEO on Cell Tower Issue

8/17/13:  Note to Our Readers:  Dr. Johanna Stamper is a research scientist in mathematical biology. She has been trained in cancer research and is very concerned that there would be any possibility of cell towers being placed at schools, especially elementary schools, in our county. She says that once she explains the science, the concerns of the people in her neighborhood became much more elevated.  

If you share the concerns of Dr. Stamper and Get the Cell Out, please take a few moments to email or call, at a minimum, the following people who are critical to this struggle:

• Director of Public Works, DeKalb County:
• Director of Planning and Sustainability, DeKalb County:
• Interim CEO of DeKalb County:
• Interim Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools:
• And your county commissioner, school board representatives and state legislators.

8/13/13

Dear Smoke Signal Editors,

Thank you for printing the Letter to the Editor in your August 2013 newspaper edition.  It was from a new Smoke Rise family that recently learned about the former school board's vote to approve cell towers for several schools in DeKalb County, including one at Smoke Rise Elementary School.  We applaud your publication for helping to educate and inform your community on this issue.

Thank you to Robert Stamper and Dr. Johanna Stamper for stepping up to inform your new community of Smoke Rise about what you learned about the dangers of cell towers and encouraging them to contact their elected officials!  We have reprinted a letter to the editor written by Dr. Stamper which was published in the August 2013 edition of the Smoke Signal, a local newsletter for the residents in the Smoke Rise community.

We also thank the Smoke Rise Homeowners' Association for sending Virginia Reece as their representative to the Tucker Parent Council meeting at Brockett Elementary School at the end of the last school year.  We appreciate her comments and efforts to educate the Smoke Rise community and others in DeKalb who heard her dialogue with the Interim Superintendent Thurmond.

We have listed some contact details here in order to assist your efforts.  As Dr. Stamper noted, it is very important for the residents near any of the proposed school cell tower sites to voice their concerns to Commissioner Lee May as he is now the acting CEO of our county.

The county commissioners have all stated they would uphold the codes at the time, but those codes are now in a review process.  Don't let the cell tower companies slip changes past you that could lead to a tower being built without community input.

We hope you will visit our website, www.GETtheCELLoutATL.org, to keep up to date on this issue.  We want to remind your readers that when they email or speak to their local government officials, it is important to mention concern for ALL the schools in DeKalb County and ALL the children.  The safety of the children must come as the highest priority above anything else.  Our leaders need to know that this is one issue that cannot be used to pit communities against one another.  On this topic, we will not be divided.

Thanks Smoke Rise residents for being GOOD NEIGHBORS!

--- Get the Cell Out Atlanta

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Tax the Rich: An Animated Fairy Tale About America

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Death by Charger; Apple Buy-Back Program is One-Time Only Deal

Posted: 7:27 AM
Last Updated: 5 hours and 22 minutes ago
By: John Matarese, newsnet5.com

If you have a charger for an iPhone or iPad that's not made by Apple, the company wants you to trade it in, as soon as possible.

Apple is offering chargers at half price to anyone who turns in a third party charger. 

This comes after a flight attendant in China was electrocuted, according to Chinese news reports, while picking up an iPhone that was plugged into the wall, charging. 

Apple believes her death is the result of a faulty third party (non-Apple) charger.  It is also investigating whether it may have been a counterfeit Apple charger, as counterfeits are widespread in China.
Apple wants non-Apple chargers.  So the company is offering brand new Apple chargers for $10, half the normal price, to anyone who turns in a third party charger during a 2-month period.

There is no "recall," as Apple cannot recall other brand chargers, and does not want to accuse legitimate 3rd party companies of making faulty devices.

The program starts August 16 at all Apple stores and authorized iPhone retailers, such as AT&T and Verizon company stores.  This program may not be offered at phone kiosks.

The $10 charger offer is valid through August 16 - October 18, 2013.

Apple points out that there are no reports of any third party chargers sold in the US causing a fire or shock.

And despite alarmist web postings to the contrary, no one has ever been electrocuted in the US while picking up a cell phone that was on a charger.
A Hong Kong apartment was destroyed earlier this summer when a Samsung Galaxy S4 reportedly exploded, though some reports say that phone or charger may have been counterfeit.

But the company is taking no chances, so it might be a good idea to turn in your 3rd party charger so you stay safe and don't waste your money.
   

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/money/consumer/dont_waste_your_money/Death-prompts-Apple-iPhone-iPad-3rd-party-charger-warning#ixzz2bUZ73S5Z

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Submit Your Comments to the FCC Regarding RF Radiation Limits by Sept. 3

From the Center for Safer Wireless:

The Federal Communication Commission is examining its current limits for radio frequency radiation. It is deciding "whether its regulations should be more restrictive, less restrictive, or remain the same."  This is an opportunity  for the public to tell them how the radio frequency radiation (RFR) from the cell towers and wireless devices has affected their health and quality of life. A summary of the Notice of Inquiry was published in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/06/04/2013-12713/reassessment-of-exposure-to-radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-limits-and-policies#h-29, beginning at paragraph 47. 

  

The complete Notice of Inquiry is here, beginning at paragraph 205:  http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-review-rf-exposure-policies

It is apparent that FCC does not think there is any reason to lower its exposure limits. We need to let them know that our health is the reason to change the regulations. It has been 17 years since the FCC reviewed its regulations we must act now. We have no idea when or if we will have another opportunity to do this. If your or your child's health has been impacted in any way by RFR describe to the FCC what occurred and what the symptoms are. Tell them if you had to leave your home because of the wireless technology. Inform them if you had to quit your job because of the RFR. They need to know every impact this is having on our lives. Every comment sent will be on public record. This means the Members of Congress will also be able to see it.  The more comments they receive the better our chance will be to have the limits lowered.

Tell the FCC how wireless technology has impacted
your physical or mental well being.

The comments are due by September 3, 2013.  It is critical that we tell our stories about what impacts RFR has had on us and continues to have on us. 

When you tell your story say, "The current RFR exposure limits have impacted my well-being and caused me to experience health problems." Then describe what it has done to you. Tell them if you feel better when you eliminate the wireless technology. If all of us who have been impacted by this use this opportunity to comment we can make a difference.

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS HERE:  http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs 

(Click on "Submit a Filing" if the filing page does not immediately open). Type in "13-84" in the box for "Proceeding Number." Write "Comments on Notice of Inquiry, ET Docket No. 13-84" at the top of your attached comments. You can attach Word, PDF, or Excel files.

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Appointed DeKalb County School Board Still in Tact

Here are a few updates regarding the DeKalb County School System

and where things are today:

First, the AJC is reporting that Gov. Nathan Deal's overhaul of the Atlanta suburbs is nearly complete.  His appointed school board has proven to him that they are the more likely group to be able to save the DeKalb School System from losing its SACS accreditation.  As each of the 6 board members, minus Nancy Jester of District 1, made their cases individually for reinstatement, former chairman Dr. Eugene Walker presented his case in front of a state judge.  Walker has challenged the constitutionality of the law that allowed the governor to remove the board members based on the criteria set by a private accrediting agency. 



Outcry from the parents and taxpayers in  DeKalb County over corrupt politics and
the resulting decline in student achievement played a role in the removal of
the school board.  But, will their removal stand up in the Supreme Court?  Time will tell.
In the meantime, there are actual lines being drawn on maps as groups aligning with
various self-appointed groups of would-be leaders are trying to start their
own cities based on school attendance zones.  (But they say it has nothing to do
with the schools.)  The battles are still being waged here, don't fool yourself into
thinking the worst is behind us.  Pay attention, DeKalb.  And, make sure you and
your neighbors show up to vote and learn the issues, or you may find yourself
waking up in a newly zoned community with cell towers on every street corner
and city taxes that might force you out before you are ready to give up.  Get the Cell Out
will still be here, trying our best to keep the county informed and helping others
who are just learning about similar problems in their own communities.



The judge in the cases of Donna Edler, Pam Speaks, Jay Cunningham and Sarah Copelin-Woods upheld the suspensions made by the Governor.  Walker is having his case heard before the state supreme court, the final battle which may end up being a mute point regardless of whether or not it goes in his favor since elections will be held in July or November 2014.  Have we finally reached that "historic moment" when "all board members will have to stand for re-election" that current board member Marshall Orson was telling us about back when he helped to run the "Friends of DeKalb" group that printed signs, held meetings and practically forced the school administration to come up with a description and criteria for an oversight committee that they later came close to forgetting about completely.  (We contacted Board Member Nancy Jester who promptly took care of things once we realized that the board was about to start spending SPLOST money and had not started the committee selection process.)

Here are links to some of the stories regarding the board's removal:
Deal's Overhaul of the DeKalb Board Complete
DeKalb School Board Members Formally Removed

And, here is a reminder about the SPLOST IV vote and what both sides had to say on this issue:  http://www.11alive.com/news/article/211104/40/Voters-weigh-education-sales-tax-with-SPLOST-

Some irate parents attended a meeting

at Livsey Elementary School in Tucker

the same night the SACS report was

released to the pubic last year. 

Caroline Lord, far right, and Michelle Penkava,

second from left (face blocked) are two

who have stepped up to support their

own communities, using different approaches.

One is helping the Tucker community learn

more about becoming a city; the other has

decided to advocate for a city of Lakeside.

City schools will be a future issue to debate

and it could bring more turmoil to the

already struggling district.

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Dr. Walker Loses Round One; Holds Out Hope with Supreme Court

Dr. Eugene Walker becomes the third of the suspended DeKalb County Schools’ Board of Education members to learn that an Administrative Law Judge is not giving them their jobs back.

Walker told All News 106.7 that he is disappointed in the decision, but not surprise. Walker still believes O.C.G.A Section 20-2-73, the Georgia law that allowed Governor Nathan Deal to suspend the six board members, is flawed. Walker went on to say, “Judge Wood was fair in allowing us to present our case, but he was also clear that he was bound by that law”. At this point Walker says he will just have to wait on the outcome of the constitutionality challenge of the suit that’s now in the hands of the Georgia Supreme Court.  Chief Administrative Law Judge Maxwell Wood ruled Thursday against Walker’s reinstatement request to be reappointed to his elected seat.

Last week Judge Wood ruled against suspended board members Sarah Copelin-Wood and Dr. Pam Speaks. Two other board members, Jesse “Jay” Cunningham and Donna Elder still await the Judge’s decision. The sixth board member, Nancy Jester, resigned her seat in February and was not a candidate for reinstatement.

In February Governor Nathan Deal suspended six of the nine school board members after the district’s accreditation was placed on probation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SACS over governance, financial and student performance issues.

Since then, the remaining three board members, Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond, and the six new governor appointed members have been in place working hard to save the district’s accreditation. Their efforts were reviewed in May.

In July the DeKalb County School system received a report from AdvancED, the parent company of SACS, stating that the district has made “recognizable progress” in addressing the issue raised by SACS late last year. At that time there were 11 required actions that have to be corrected in order for the district to regain unconditional accreditation.

While AdvancEd is remaining cautionary in its views, right now the district appears to be making progress.

However, Eugene Walker maintains that since he was elected by the people, the Governor’s board suspension actions was illegal.

So one question on the minds of many DeKalb residents now is: What kind of impact, if any, could the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision have on the new DeKalb board and its progress?

DeKalb County students return to school on Monday, August 12.

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