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Judge rules 5G cell tower at Wyandotte school can be activated; district offers new deal

By and David Komer
Published  September 28, 2023 8:49pm EDT
Wyandotte
FOX 2 Detroit

Judge rules T-Mobile 5G cell tower at Wyandotte school can be activated, district offers deal

FOX 2 spoke to the superintendent Dr. James Anderson who said he made a proposal to T-Mobile that the school district would build a freestanding cell tower away from students, at their cost.

WYANDOTTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 5G cell tower that has been a lightning rod of controversy is one step closer to turning on at a Wyandotte school.

Tempers have been flaring in the Downriver community of Wyandotte over a 60-foot T-Mobile cell tower attached to the Washington Elementary school.

"I don't know they thought we were stupid people because we 'live Downriver,'" said Cathy Kosh. "Nobody should live within a quarter-mile radius of a 5G T-Mobile cell tower."

Residents filed a lawsuit to stop T-Mobile from activating the cell tower and a judge on Wednesday denied the request. Now it appears T-Mobile will activate the tower on Saturday.

"Until they know what the long-term effects are, I don’t really think you should be putting kids in danger," said Mark Miller.

Yet the legal challenge had to do with zoning, not health, as the FCC allows cell towers, and the judge ruled state law allows cell tower to be put on any existing building.

FOX 2: "Do you think if this cell tower is turned on Saturday, will there be any problems?"

"I think, like a lot of the residents who live over there, their housing values are going to drop," he said.

Related: Judge dismisses Wyandotte elementary school 5G cell tower lawsuit

"What do you think this decision did to the property value of your house?"

"I think I cut it in right in half," said Roger Koch.

And the superintendent of schools confirmed that about 75 students have already left the school.

FOX 2: "You pulled your kid out of Washington elementary school?"

"Yes I did," said Lisa Delgado.

Some moved to another school district, which means a loss of about $9,000 per student, per year, in funding.  

"To my knowledge, I don’t know anything about it, but I’m not taking chances," she said. "My son is not a guinea pig."

FOX 2 spoke to the superintendent Dr. James Anderson who said he made a proposal to T-Mobile that the school district would build a freestanding cell tower away from students, at their cost.

That tower would stand between 160 and 180 feet tall - double from what they have now. The cost is estimated between $200,000 and $600,000. There has been no response yet from T-Mobile.