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M.O.M.S ask Merrick board for resolution on cell equipment
From June 18, 2010
At this week's meeting of the Merrick Board of Education, a recently organized group of women (Mothers of Merrick or MOMS) showed up in force to make a difference regarding cell phone antennae.
Representing the group, attorney Andrew J. Campanelli appeared before the board members and administrators to ask them to listen to the concerns of parents and to take a stand to protect children.
Mr. Campanelli is currently prosecuting in a federal suit encompassing citizens of Bayville.in their fight to have cell antennae removed near school buildings and homes. Since the installation of some 57 cell antennae, many near the schools, some students and teachers have fallen ill with cancers.
Though he doesn't consider himself an activist, Mr. Campanelli said that as a parent and as an attorney representing parents, he was compelled to ask the board members to do two things: the first is to approve a resolution to ban cell antennae within 1500 feet from schools. A second request was made to allow MOMS to disseminate information to other parents through accessibility to parents at the schools. This could be accomplished by flyers sent home in backpacks or, as suggested by Merrick board president Nance Kaplan, perhaps through the Connect Ed communication system.
Dr Kaplan responded to Mr. Campanelli, “We have a responsibility to the children and everyone in the community,” as she agreed to have board members discuss the issues.
From this week's paper:
Attorney Andrew Campanelli, representing Moms of Merrick/Bellmore Speak out (M.O.M.S.), asked the Merrick school board at their monthly meeting Tuesday, to make a resolution banning any cell equipment within 1,500 feet of its schools.
M.O.M.S. was formed to address the growing number of cell antennae that have popped up near homes and schools in the community. The mission is to create a cell antenna-free zone around schools and homes to more strictly regulate the placement of future cell antennae, not only in Merrick and Bellmore, or even Long Island, but nationwide.
Mr. Campanelli, a Merrick resident and a father, is a federal commercial civil rights attorney. He is in litigation with the cell companies that placed almost 50 towers a few feet from the Bayville elementary school, where it is alleged that 30 % of the staff have serious health issues including cancer.
“[Cell equipment] is being banned overseas and moved 1,500 feet away from schools in countries such as Germany, Taiwan and Australia. Why aren’t our children being protected here?” he asked.
The school board told Mr. Campanelli that it would consider his request and read the material he provided to school board members. Board members told Mr. Campanelli they thought a decision may be made by the next board meeting.
Mr. Campanelli also asked for access to the school community through the Connect-Ed system to provide information on cell equipment. The board also said they would consider this request but made no commitment.
M.O.M.S has collected more than 500 signatures in a petition supporting the regulation of cell antennae. “We are not against cell phones, but against placing them on front lawns and by playgrounds. The new mini DAS systems that Metro PCS is installing with Next G is low to the ground and adjacent to bedroom windows. We want them 100 feet away from our schools, and regulations need to be mandated. We are working with the Town of Hempstead, but we need the school boards to join us,” said Ms. Turk-Goldberg in an e-mail. L.S.
