Update March 2018: Sprint has turned off the transmissions from the tower. Please see “Turned off: Sprint shuts down cell tower at Ripon school over parents’ cancer concerns.”
“Four students and three teachers at Weston have been diagnosed with different forms of cancer since 2016. In addition, two preschool-age children living near the school have been treated for a malignant tumor and leukemia, and a Modesto family says a 22-year-old former student of Weston underwent surgery last year for a brain tumor.”
Ripon California School District officially asked Sprint, the wireless company to remove the cell tower from the elementary school after four students and three staff developed cancers. As of March 28, 2019 the antennas have been turned off.
Families have been calling for the removal of a cell phone tower at Weston Elementary School since 2017 when several students and staff developed cancers. Now that yet another student has developed cancer in 2019, parents demanded the tower be removed. The March 2019 school board meeting was packed in opposition to the cell tower and the meeting was widely covered by press. Parents stated they are holding the school board accountable.
On March 15 2019 Ripon Unified placed a revised statement on their website formally asking Sprint Communications to remove the cell tower from the Weston Elementary campus. They are asking Sprint “to relocate or decommission the tower as soon as possible.”
Ripon District Statement About The Weston Elementary Cell Tower March 15, 2019
2019 News Stories on Ripon Students Developing Cancer
March 28, ,2019 “Turned off: Sprint shuts down cell tower at Ripon school over parents’ cancer concerns.”
History
March 15, 2019 District Asks Sprint to Remove the Tower
KCRA3 Parents concerned after 4 students at Ripon school diagnosed with cancer, March 13, 2019
NTD After 4 Kids Get Cancer, Parents Want Cellphone Tower Removed From Elementary School March 14, 2019
Sacramento CBS News Parents Blame Elementary School’s Cell Tower After 4th Student Diagnosed With Cancer March 12, 2019
RT News: Parents blame elementary school’s cell tower after 4th student gets cancer
Sacramento Bee: Fourth Ripon student has cancer. Parents demand removal of cell tower from school, March 12, 2019
The Modesto Bee: Ex-student of Ripon school has cancer, family says. District looks for answers March 14, 2019
The Modesto Bee: Ripon school parents want cell tower removed over cancer fear, March 12, 2019
Read the research that links cell towers to cancer and other health effects here.
2017 Ripon Petition to Remove Cell Tower
In 2017 after two students and two staff members were diagnosed with cancer parents started a Petition– which now has thousands of signatures- to remove this elementary school cell tower and to remove cell towers from all of Ripon School District grounds.
“I want them to convince the district to take it down,” said Mason Ferrulli, a 6th grader who has attended Weston Elementary since kindergarten whose son was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Mason underwent a 14-hour surgery to remove the tumor and has undergone six weeks of therapy to re-learn how to eat and walk.”Joe and Kelly Prime’s 10-year-old son Kyle also developed cancer. A tumor engulfed his left kidney and needed to be removed. He underwent months of chemotherapy and radiation, missing a year of school.
Please see news reports from 2017 below.
