Officials Question School System Cell Antenna Plans

Elected officials representing Piney Orchard Elementary are asking the school board revisit plans to allow cell phone antennae on school grounds.

The Baltimore Sun reports the officials, including the 21st district General Assembly delegation, suggested Anne Arundel County's school board terminate its lease with a Virginia firm evaluating school properties for the antennae.

"Obviously we need cell towers; technology is not very far advanced these days and we're still tied to towers," state Sen. Jim Rosapepe told the paper. "We obviously need the infrastructure, but we have to be concerned about people's health. We have constituents concerned about this and we're encouraging the school system to do the right thing."

School officials, however, say that the preliminary talks are aimed at reducing coverage gaps in case of emergency. Three county high schools already have cell antennae attached to water towers, according to the report.