# News from Ideocracy: Parents complain Wi-Fi is making students sick **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 20, 2010, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854 "2010-08-20T10:17:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/1 "2010-08-20T10:17:08Z")
[http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2lDIGe/www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=2215](http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2lDIGe/www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=2215) > [@](#): > > A group of central Ontario parents is demanding their children’s schools turn off wireless Internet before they head back to school next month, fearing the technology is making the kids sick. > > … > > “These kids are getting sick at school but not at home,” he said. > “I’m not saying it’s because of the Wi-Fi because we don’t know yet, but I’ve pretty much eliminated every other possible source.” And Canadians seemed like such nice, intelligent people. Is there a vaccine for whatever they have? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/2 "2010-08-20T10:29:47Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Is there a vaccine for whatever they have? If there is, our GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM will pay for it. But, yeah… we have idiots in our country, too. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/3 "2010-08-20T10:36:15Z")
…actually, someone in those comments came up with a brilliant idea. Call it Wi-Fi therapy. Then we can just let the chrystal healing nuts duke it out with the radiation paranoids. Two birds, one Wi-Fi type thing. Let’s find a new agey forum and start throwing out statement like: “There’s obviously a clear correlation between symptom occurrences and prolonged absence from the healing electromagnetic (everyone knows magnets are magic, and heal people) fields emitted by the Remote-Healing terminals in schools. It’s only after the effects wear off children show signs of illness; even a short stay in schools providing Remote Healing capability ensures health for the whole following day at home.” Or something like that… ought to keep both groups of hysterics happy fighting among themselves. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/4 "2010-08-20T10:44:37Z")
Oh, and start an online business (businesses) to cater to both crowds. Buy a load of antistatic bracelets, throw a plastic sleeve over them; red for “protecting you from harmful microwave radiation”, blue for “maximizing the intake of healing electromagnetic waves”. Or make them into headbands with cute ribbons for the girls, and ball-caps for the boys. There’s big money in pseudo-scientific nonsense. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/5 "2010-08-20T12:15:01Z")
‘Government by Ideas’? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/6 "2010-08-20T12:57:48Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Is there a vaccine for whatever they have? Yeah, but it makes them all autistic as fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Baboonanza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/7 "2010-08-20T12:59:34Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > “These kids are getting sick at school but not at home,” he said. Funnny that. And kids are always so upset when they have to be sent home from school for getting ‘sick’ too. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/8 "2010-08-20T13:07:04Z")
The Wi-Fi is also making the middle school kids horny and giving them acne. Really, it’s the only logical explanation. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/9 "2010-08-20T13:32:35Z")
Tell the kids that if the Wi-Fi gets turned off, they’ll have to get through the whole day without access to the Internet. See if their health doesn’t improve. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/10 "2010-08-20T13:35:06Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > [http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2lDIGe/www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=2215](http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2lDIGe/www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=2215) > > > [@](#): > > > > “These kids are getting sick at school but not at home,” he said. This just in: Kids don’t enjoy school. Film at 11. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/11 "2010-08-20T13:35:25Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > > Is there a vaccine for whatever they have? > > Yeah, but it makes them all autistic as fuck. So, no downside for the rest of us then? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/12 "2010-08-20T13:38:59Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > > Is there a vaccine for whatever they have? > > If there is, our GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM will pay for it. > But, yeah… we have idiots in our country, too. I seem to remember schools being a “hotbed of pestilence” because the other nasty kids (never me of course) would get sick and bring their diseases to school, coughing and sneezing at everyone else (never me of course). The OP’s cite just proves that stupidity doesn’t stop at the border. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/13 "2010-08-20T17:24:58Z")
I saw that story on the news recently (and just about sprained my eyes rolling them); I did like the representative from Health Canada’s response; to paraphrase, she said, “Don’t be so stupid. Wi fi doesn’t make kids sick.” ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/14 "2010-08-20T17:25:22Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > I seem to remember schools being a “hotbed of pestilence” because the other nasty kids (never me of course) would get sick and bring their diseases to school, coughing and sneezing at everyone else (never me of course). There is nothing in the world worse than sitting in a silent class room, trying to take an important test, and suddenly becoming acutely aware of every cough, sniffle, and other signs of illness around you. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/15 "2010-08-20T18:31:45Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > ‘Government by Ideas’? Hmm, I did spell that wrong, didn’t I? I blame wi-fi exposure. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/16 "2010-08-20T19:46:33Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > > Is there a vaccine for whatever they have? > > Yeah, but it makes them all autistic as fuck. Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever actually LOL’d before…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/17 "2010-08-20T19:53:49Z")
Within 10 minutes of this being on the evening news, my mum worriedly told me about this, to make sure that I knew to steer clear. I’m almost 24. FML. Oh, and then she asked me what a “Wi-fi” was, and why I couldn’t just use the wireless internet on my laptop instead. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/18 "2010-08-20T20:00:53Z")
Pft. Amateurs. Us 'Mericans still know how to do it - [sue your neighbors](http://www.sfreeper.com/2010/03/30/wi-fi-lawsuit-sustains-santa-fes-global-reputation-for-weirdness/) for using anything invented post-1970. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/19 "2010-08-22T00:01:27Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > > [@Revtim](#): > > > > Yeah, but it makes them all autistic as fuck. > > So, no downside for the rest of us then? Actually, I think there’s an upside. Aren’t the autistic pretty quiet? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854/20 "2010-08-22T00:06:04Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > [@SteveG1](#): > > > > I seem to remember schools being a “hotbed of pestilence” because the other nasty kids (never me of course) would get sick and bring their diseases to school, coughing and sneezing at everyone else (never me of course). > > There is nothing in the world worse than sitting in a silent class room, trying to take an important test, and suddenly becoming acutely aware of every cough, sniffle, and other signs of illness around you. Every child is a hotbed of pestilence. Schools would make a decent quarantine facility, except that the kids are allowed to leave. I’ve been meaning to talk to the school board about this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-from-ideocracy-parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick/550854.md?page=2)