On May 31, 2011 The EMR Policy Institute filed Comment on the draft position statement - Technology in Early Childhood Programs: Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.  This is a draft joint statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Childrens Media (FRCELCM) at Saint Vincent College.

The Comment letter and Background References documents are found at:  http://www.emrpolicy.org/public_policy/schools/index.htm

EMRPI understands that the NAEYC is, "dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality and development services for all children from birth through age 8."  EMRPI agrees with the NAEYC/FRCELCM position statement's point, as stated in the section on technology, that, "The health and well-being of all children is a primary goal." 
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EMRPI recognizes the importance of Internet access to the educational process and the need for America's children to be tech savvy.  But children's health and well-being must not be compromised or sacrificed in the delivery of early childhood care and education programs.

The FCC, FDA and now the US Department of Education have adopted policies and initiatives that allow deployment and use of wireless devices and technologies on the one hand, and on the other, have continuously failed to adopt policies reflecting the peer-reviewed current scientific evidence of adverse biological effects from wireless exposures.

EMRPI feels that it is imperative that the reviewers have access to recent published scientific papers on radiofrequency radiation exposure as well as the state of US public policy on this question in order to fully evaluate the recommendations for deployment of wireless devices and infrastructure in the learning environment of America's children.

The FCC, FDA, US Department of Education and other federal agencies should adjust their policies and plans to protect the public's health, especially to protect children, but in the mean time organizations such as the NAEYC should proactively act to fill the regulatory void.
 
The EMR Policy Institute hopes that the information contained in this letter and attachments will cause the NAEYC to re-examine the draft position statement and revise it according to the state of the known scientific evidence of harmful effects of exposure to wireless technology, the international calls for the protection of children from EMF/RF exposures, and the precautionary principle approach - that it is better to be safe than sorry for the sake of the current and future well being of children all through their lives.

Thanks to Diana Warren, EMRPI Director, for her work in drafting this Comment document.

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