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Classics teacher suffers reaction to wi-fi

A number of schools have been pulling wireless network systems, because of parental fears and complaints from teachers about possible adverse health effects. Although I’m not an expert on the effects of wireless networks on biological systems, I think we may be able to shed some light on this phenomenon in certain cases:

Michael Bevington, a classics teacher for 28 years at the school, said that he had such a violent reaction to the network that he was too ill to teach.

“I felt a steadily widening range of unpleasant effects whenever I was in the classroom,” he said. “First came a thick headache, then pains throughout the body, sudden flushes, pressure behind the eyes, sudden skin pains and burning sensations, along with bouts of nausea. Over the weekend, away from the classroom, I felt completely normal.”

Can anyone else think of another reason why at the weekends Mr Bevington felt normal?

I’d be interested in how Mr Bevington avoids wireless networks outside of the school. At the moment, I’m being pummeled by four wireless networks, admittedly this includes my own, while sitting in my own house. A walk to the local shop with a wireless PDA shows I am always within range of one. At work, I can detect three networks. Only at my NHS location am I free from wireless networking. Am I safest there? Should I wear a tinfoil hat the rest of the time?

Help.

4 Comments

  1. perhaps he is simply allergic to schools. or teaching in them. or young people.

    Posted on 26-Nov-06 at 11:05 pm | Permalink
  2. siaw

    “This phenomena”? You’re probably making Mr Bevington’s headache worse …
    Also, how exactly are wireless networks for the internet so very different from wireless networks for anything else, such as what people used to call – um -”wireless”?

    Posted on 27-Nov-06 at 1:09 am | Permalink
  3. Anthony

    Now fixed. Incidently, Radio 4 gives me headaches, for an entirely plausible reason.

    Posted on 27-Nov-06 at 10:15 am | Permalink
  4. jennifer

    um, we have a wireless network in my hospital….i guess if it’s safe enough for sick people, it should be safe enough for the youngsters

    Posted on 30-Nov-06 at 12:01 am | Permalink

One Trackback/Pingback

  1. [...] Those of you who remember the classics teacher who claimed wi-fi was affecting his health, may be interested in this BBC news report about other sufferers. Some people even claim to be able to notice minor signal fluctuations. I mentioned casually to my husband that I could tell when he was sending an e-mail, but he dismissed that as laughable. [...]