Back to School: Creating EMF-Friendly Classrooms

With laptops on every desk, Wi-Fi routers throughout the building, smartboards, Bluetooth headphones, tablets, and cell phones buzzing with activity, the modern classroom is more connected than ever before. 

Technology opens doors to incredible learning opportunities, like virtual field trips, instant feedback, and programs that appeal to a wide range of learning styles. However, this tech also increases children’s daily exposure to electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation, and research suggests these invisible emissions from wireless devices can have biological effects on the human body.

As families gear up for another school year, it’s important to ask: how can we help kids thrive in this digital learning age while also supporting their well-being?

EMFs are generated by both wired and wireless electronic devices. In schools, common sources include:

• Laptops and tablets, especially in 1:1 device programs many schools have adopted

• Commercial-grade Wi-Fi routers

• Smartboards and interactive whiteboards

• Bluetooth accessories such as headphones and smart styluses

• Personal cell phones carried by students and staff

It’s not just one device at a time. Children may be surrounded by dozens of EMF-emitting sources throughout the school day. And the tech presence in schools is only increasing. In 2018, over 29 million computers were shipped to U.S. schools, and that number has grown in the years since.

When it comes to EMF exposure, it’s important to remember that children are not just miniature adults. Their developing bodies and brains make them more biologically sensitive to EMFs. Due to their thinner skulls and developing tissues, children may absorb higher doses of radiation from cell phones. This could be related to the higher water content in children’s bodies and their smaller overall size.

Not to mention, today’s children will have much higher lifetime exposure than people in their thirties, forties, and up because wireless technology has been part of their lives from day one. While the research is still emerging, studies suggest a link between EMF exposure and:

• Sleep disruptions

• Increased oxidative stress

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Mood and behavioral changes

Current safety guidelines for wireless devices don’t take children into account. The process used to test cell phones for safety relies on a testing model known as the Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin (SAM). The goal? To measure Standard Absorption Rate, or SAR, which is the amount of electromagnetic energy that is absorbed by the body.

The problem is: this model was created using the head size and tissue composition of the largest 10% of U.S. military recruits in 1989. Not children, not teens, not even the average adult. As a result, it could underestimate how much electromagnetic energy is actually absorbed by smaller bodies. To put it simply: children may be absorbing significantly more radiation from the same devices, yet those exposures are being regulated based on standards that never considered them.

Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or parent, there are simple strategies you can suggest or implement to reduce EMF exposure in the classroom:

• If possible, use wired ethernet connections instead of relying solely on Wi-Fi

• Create “low-EMF zones” for younger grades

• Encourage students to place devices on desks, not laps, to limit body proximity

• Talk to your children about keeping phones in their backpacks during the day, not on their body

• Opt for wired headphones over Bluetooth versions

We can’t control every aspect of EMF exposure in our children’s schools, but we do have the power to make changes to our habits and our homes to reduce exposure:

• Power down Wi-Fi routers at night and when not in use

• Create EMF-friendly sleep spaces to mitigate the effects of EMF on melatonin production and circadian rhythms

• Use speakerphone when possible to limit direct body contact with the phone

It’s unrealistic to think we can eliminate every source of EMF from our children’s lives. Power lines, the wires running through the walls, and even the Earth itself emits EMFs. This is why trying to block EMFs is not always the solution.

Instead, Aires offers a patented solution to help clean up the electromagnetic environment through restructuring EMFs into a more coherent, biologically-friendly form. Instead of fighting against EMFs, Aires supports the body’s ability to adapt to its digital environment.

For school-aged children, a device like the Aires Lifetune One that adheres directly to students’ devices is a great choice. They don’t have to try to keep up with it, they don’t have to remember to charge anything – it simply offers constant, passive support as they learn. Or, look into the Lifetune Zone and Lifetune Zone Max for whole classroom protection.

A conversation about EMF-friendly learning environments wouldn’t be complete without highlighting Apogee Schools – the first school system to embrace EMF-friendly practices across its campuses. With Aires technology at every campus, Apogee is both embracing technology and prioritizing student wellness.

As you go through the end-of-summer routine of checking off school supply lists and labeling water bottles, take a moment to think about the invisible environments your children will spend a good part of each day in.

EMFs are part of modern life and learning, but with that comes a need for awareness and empowerment. It’s as simple as starting a conversation with a teacher, exploring wellness tools like Aires, or making a few changes to your tech habits at home. Every step helps create more balanced spaces for our kids to learn and grow.

Here’s to making this school year not just a return to the usual routines, but a move toward healthier spaces for all children!