WESLEY CHAPEL (FOX 13) -Emerson Park’s emotions summed up a whole group’s feelings.”I just wanted them to vote no. Now they’re putting a bunch of kids at risk, a bunch of adults,” she said.
Parents and students from Seven Oaks Elementary School in Wesley Chapel thought they could sway the school board from putting up a cell phone tower on school grounds.
They even collected 1,100 signatures against it.
“I don’t want to take any chances of me or my friends getting very sick from this cell phone tower,” said Jackson Pardon.
Parents said the radiation from the tower is a detriment to their students’ health.
“I do everything I can to protect this child and I hope that the school board would do the same,” said Jim Berry.
The school board said they have several cell towers on other school grounds, and their research has not shown any danger.
“I understand the (concern) in the room. I really do, and I have three kids,” Board member Steve Luikart said. “Yes, I do. I am concerned. If I had any notion of any reservations here, you would know it.”
Jim Berry is concerned for his granddaughter Allee.
“They’re supposed to be representative of us, the people here, but they did not represent us in this meeting,” he said.
He, like many, other wonder if this is in their children’s best interest.
“They get to go home, and now we have to live with it,” said Dan Reyes.