I'm a substitute teacher and I spend more time trying to take students' cell phones away than I do teaching. Students hide them in their bags, pockets, sweatshirts, and anywhere else they can think of. They text the second I turn my back and often right in front of me. I remember growing up very safely without a cell phone; there are phones available for emergencies. If you take a students' cell phone away they're just going to get it back later and repeat the rude, distracting behavior. I spend at least five minutes on each student who texts, claims she's not doing so, trying to take the phone away, calling the office when she refuses, and then sending her to the office or waiting for someone to come pick her up when she doesn't comply.

Parents: at least turn off your son or daughter's ability to text. You can do it through the cell phone company. If you think your child isn't texting it school, they're probably not telling you the whole truth. Does your sixteen year old really *need* a cell phone? I assume you want teachers to spend their time teaching rather than fighting what they essentially use as a toy. I'm sure there are emergencies, but those are very rare at school. The success of your child depends far more on an education and developing respectful behavior.

DOesn't seem that hard. I mean, if they're not using it in class, shouldn't be to big an issue. Put it on silent or vibrate, and keep it in your locker or pocket. If you get caught using it during class,you get it back at the end of the day, unless there's an emergency. Isn't it ok to use the school phone in case of emergency?
Idk, just don't use it in class, in the halls, or somewhere it's distracting. Not really that big of an issue here,is it?

Don't forget that cell phones can be used to cheat.

Or instead we can set a good example for students and teachers can have there cell phones in their cars or breakrooms or at least silenced while there working i graduated within the past 3 years and some of the teachers at parker answer there phones in the middle of class NOT JUST A STUDENT PROBLEM

Ok...I voted for out of sight. I didn't mean hidden and texting, I meant in my daughter's purse on silent. She violated the rules her sophomore year and got her phone taken away during lunch while inputing information, not even making a phone call. I too check our phone records on line! She got her phone taken away by a lunch room proctor. She didn't tell me about it. I received the letter that she had had her phone taken away the day of her 16th birthday party. Several girls were heading home with us after school for a sleepover. When the girls got into the van, I handed the letter to my daughter and asked each one of the girls where they lived and took them home. I had my daughter explain to her friends while driving them home why they were going home instead of to our home. Our daughter did not have her birthday party with friends because of her disobedience. I do make my daughter abide by the rules. I do parent my daughter. I still want my daughter to have a cell phone. That is my choice as a parent.

Sorry, I haven't been on in a while. So, to answer your question mooser, I stated on another related story that the only way I found out when the location of my daughter's volleyball games had changed was when she would borrow someone else's phone and call me. Literally, Parker would change the location of the game...from being a home game to an away game (even to Madison) without letting us parents know. They would expect the kids to let us know, yet frown upon them having phones. It's not fun to show up to your children's game only to find out they changed the location. So, after a few times of this happening to us, we got our daughter a phone. Otherwise, she wasn't to get one until she started driving.

This has nothing to do with being old or not up with the times. This is a matter of common sense. During the school day, within the school building, students have no business having access to a cell phone. Procedures are in place for using a school phone, and getting messages to students. Don't give me the arguement that my child needs it in case there is mayham going on at the school. You have just put my child in danger when every kid or parent is trying to call on the cell phone. Those cell towers would lock up so fast it isn't funny. And "cell signal jammers"? Why spend the money just because kids can't follow the rules in place. This has nothing to do with "modern life", or times change "and just deal with it". This is a safety and respect issue.

You older people might have survived your day way back when without cell phones. But way back when you didn't have kids shooting up your schools. Times have change and me as a parent of two children support our kids having cell phones in school. I also belive there should be restriction for cell phone use.

countrydawg... "
Why not just block the cell signal within the class rooms, i'm sure there are paints or technologies to do this. No signal no problem"

There is and it's called a "scrambler". When you use a cell phone scrambler, a lower power radio signal is broadcast. This signal is capable of cutting off communication between the cell phone and its cellular base stations. When this happens, all the cell phones in the area will show ìNo Serviceî -- and incoming calls are blocked. To the caller, it simply seems as if the cell phone is turned off.

Although jamming cell phones causes them to have no service, certain pre-defined zones are not blocked. By default, these zones include:

EMS
Fire
Police
Therefore, when you use a cell phone scrambler, you don't have to worry about putting yourself or anyone else in danger. Rather, police, fire, and EMS radio users can still communicate, but your customers (students) won't be disturbed by non-emergency cell phone chatter.

Once the cell phone scrambling device is turned off, the phones will automatically reestablish communication with the cellular base stations -- and those affected by the scrambler will once again be able to receive cellular services. The cell phone scrambler does not damage phones in any way.

I am currently going through this right now with my 16 year old daughter. She got in trouble for having her phone out during school-she has it on "silent" instead of off as the rules clearly state, and was stated by the assistant principal. Because of that incident she got a detention for her 3rd referral-while serving her detention for having her phone during school, she was texting and using her phone!!!! Asking her to keep her phone off during school was useless as she had over 100 text messages to and from during the school hours the very next day. I believe children do need cell phones, but the only way to enforce the rule of no phones powered on during class would be a signal blocker of some sort that wipes out the cell capability totally. Otherwise, you will have kids running around with their phones on silent as my daughter did believing not getting caught is the same as following the rules. Before cell phones, parents were able to get messages to students and students were able to get messages to parents as well. They should put payphones back in the schools along with finding the signal blocking technology-that would limit all the unnecessary phone activity after the switch is flipped during school hours but still enable kids to make a call when necessary without bothering the people working in the office. We as parents would go back to making sure our kids have a little change in their pockets in case of emergencies.

all cell phones should be put on silent mode.may be checked between classes, no first offense or second offense,because most wont abide by it anyway because they know they will have other chances.they get caught using them they lose all privacy rights,and have them show you what the emergency was that they had to use their phone.if it does not fall under the emergency guide lines, take the phone from them, instruct their parents that its not to be on school property again, and if it is, it will be confiscated until the end of the year, and it will be returned at the end of the school year and have student and parents sign a contract to this effect,so there is no legal ramifications. because honestly some of these parents just laugh about and blow it off, and if you cant get the parents to back you up, then the kids arent going to listen to you.the teachers should not have to put up with this disrespect,they are paid to do a job not to be continually interupted because muffy had to see what buffys wearing to the party tonight. good luck with your fight with cell phone policy.

Cell Phones are a part of life, a big part of our modern life, so we need to adapt. I vote for signal block zones within walls of educational buildings. They need approval to leave building, then the signal is available. Quick emergencies can be done on land lines in buildings, and teachers are not put in position of constantly spying on personal belongings. They need to attract students to classrooms, and learning, not repel them....

The number of high school students who have suffered because they didn't have a cell phone in school is equal to the number of students who have suffered or died from frostbite because school wasn't cancelled on a cold day - a grand total of zero.

Why not just block the cell signal within the class rooms, i'm sure there are paints or technologies to do this. No signal no problem.

So it is agreed that kids will get away with what their parents let them. Good parents know what their kids are doing at all times, bad ones know when they go to jail? Each child is unique and every child is an angel. Remember when you were a child. Think about what you got away with and don't say that well we did not have that when we were in school. Technology still was perfecting the toaster. So give it a rest. Cell phones in school I believe is a poor choice. Children have enough distractions and need to minimize them.

Nellie, I do check the bills, very carefully. That's how they know not to do anything wrong.
I also have parental controls on the computer (which is right next to MY computer) and we get on-line together at the same time.
Your kids will get away with what you allow them to. They will take what options they are given.

Im proud that your boyfriend is in iraq defending our country but the old "they dont pay my bill" defense doesnt work. My Grandpa was overseas in WW2 for years and my dad was in vietnam, Neither of their wives had cell phones to text with and they turned out just fine.

I don't understand why it is so difficult for students to understand that you can't be making phone calls in class or texting! Pass a paper note the good old fashioned way! When I was in highschool cellphones were just becoming popular and when I walked in I turned it OFF not silent and left it in my locker til I left for the day. I'm surprised at how many adults in college are texting during a lecture! Nothing is that important that it can't wait a couple hours. If there's an emergency call the office and they'll contact your child just like it's been done for years.

To add on to my previous post:
also, if the school systems can ban certain band t shirts (marilyn manson, grateful dead, nine inch nails) or ban unnatural hair colors, or ban studded collars or wallet chains, it seems to me that cell phones would be banned as well. The excuses for these bans that the schools have TOLD ME was that the certain articles in question are distracting, disrupt class and could be seen as representing violent, offensive or drug related activity. I think a cell phone falls under all 3 categories.

I voted to ban them. I was in middle school ten years ago, back when we used notes to communicate with friends, and even that was not allowed. We all survived with no cell phones and if we needed to make a phone call we could go to the office or use a pay phone. Either way, it was NOT impossible to call my mom if there was an emergency. Now as an adult I had one cell phone and I got rid of it. I do not talk and drive and there for I only really used it at home. I am doing just fine with a home phone. It's kind of nice to hear a real ring in stead of a warbled rap ringtone. Kids can talk all they want before and after school and at lunch. And if they need to make a call for a ride or whatever they can go to the office.

itellu,
Isn't that a bit of a slippery slope argument? Before teens could get a hold of porn on their cell phones, they were able to find daddy's playboys under his bed. Maybe there were no playboys in the house, but long ago you could find porn on the TV, and although without ordering the channel it might have been very fuzzy, kids will still watch out of pure curiosity. Then there are those magazines such as FHM which are almost "porn" magazines, but kids can buy them anyways. Loosen up a little. If you tell a kid not to play with fire, that kid is going to get burned. If you properly teach a kid how to handle fire responsibly, then the likelihood of an uncontrolled fire is greatly reduced.

The parents,schools,society,must put a stop to this constant "child abuse" by allowing anything and everything goes for their children.Parents,schools,society...WAKE UP! For each positive these phones exude there are 50 negatives(speaking).Isn't it enough you have porno of their cells? Isn't it enough you've come to allow group beatings with parents joining in? When our children are running(ruining)this country greater than politics has been doing,"YOU" are in trouble. Hopefully,I'll be gone by then! Wishes to All!

My boyfriends going to Iraq its the only way I can talk to him with the time difference via email through my phone. They can get over it. Once they know how it is to have a loved one taken away for a year and get limited time to talk, than they can make a fuss about it. They don't pay my phone bill.

Gandalf,
Most kids understand that making a drug deal at the school is pretty much the worst place it can be done. I for one knew several people who were involved with drugs while I was going to school but didn't bring the drugs to school for one obvious reason. It's a really easy way to get caught. I wouldn't put it past the ignorant ones who do bring drugs to school to also make deals with their cell phones, though...

My understanding is that many students use texting on their cell phones to facilitate drug deals in school, which I think is reason enough for a total ban. By 'total ban' I mean silenced and locked in the lockers during school hours. There are many legit reasons for students to have cell phones, but not in school.

mikki: check your bills and see. I'm not trying to prove you wrong, I hope they are following your rules, but most don't. I was very involved with my kids too,they have now all graduated, but they seem to think that they should be able to use them whenever they want. Unfortunatly our kids do try to step out of our rules at times. Cell phones are a growing problem in all the schools and I think if we just banned them altogether, that would sove the issue. Then maybe they would work on important things like teaching.

I agree these kids are using them and the best way to see if your child is not using it during school hours check your cell phone bill. It has the times that calls or texting was done then ask your child if they put them in their locker.

LOL Nellie.
I am very involved with my children's lives. I know that they lock their phones in their lockers. They have too many other things they are doing in school. They are also subject to random checks. So no, I am not naive. I know my kids.
My children don't use their cellphone as toys.
Maybe your kids did, mine don't.

For those of you who niavly say that your kids "lock their phones in their locker" boy are you kidding yourself! My kid has a cell phone and even though he went to a small private school, he and all the other kids used them all day, without the knowledge of their parents and teachers. Your child has pulled the wool over your eyes if they are telling you they have them in their locker!! I still say ban them. If they have practice afterward, find out ahead of time by calling the school to see if they are still having it or cancelled. In my experience, you find that out before the end of school day. Cell phones are just a toy to them and another way to try to get something over on those who are supposed to be in charge. We did just fine without them, they can too.

Come on people where does the insanity end? The next thing you will say is our kids need guns because they need to protect themselves. Little Billy was walking home and someone came up to him and tried to take his candy so he shot him and now he is alive and fatter for the experience. How about condoms? Little Billy wanted really badly to have sex but did not want a child or an STD so we gave him condoms so now he can have all the sex he wants and be safe! This is the foolish mentality of a select few and it seems that they for some insane reason make rules that allow stupidity to run rampant. How about letting kids be kids. You can not protect them at all times and if you try they will hate you for it or will become so dependent upon you that they will never grow up and become a contributing member of society or anything else they try. Look if you want your kids to fail keep on the same path you are on, otherwise look around, take a deep breath, and decide to be the PARENT!

Really, what part of their being in school, don't they understand? They are in school for a reason, to learn. Not text their friends. If they need to set-up a doctor appointment or something, have them go to the office. It worked when I was in school.

Quote "i say total freedom. They should be allowed to use them during class, it's the student's choice if they want to learn or not. teachers should not be allowed to take someone's phone because that is stealing. and if teachers are allowed to use their phones, students should too."
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Actually, its not a students choice, as long as they are not 18 they are Required to be in an educational program be it homeschooling or public. Thats why truancy is a crime...
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Unless of course a parent consents to withdraw them from school as a whole, which is poor parenting.
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Students should not be allowed free reign to use cell phones in the middle of class, while they may choose not to learn, it affects the person next to them who is trying to learn while they gab away.

Blue and momof4...

...if you scroll down, you will see that that is EXACTLY what I suggested...students turn their phones in to the office at the start of the day and pick them up at the end.

You need to get your child on the phone? Call the school. If they have practice or something AFTER school and there isn't anyone in the office to answer your call, well, that's why I said they could pick up the phone AFTER classes are out. Problem solved.

momof4, I totally agree with you. There are people posting here that either have no children who have cellphones, or who are tethered to their children 24-7.
Sorry, I have a job to support my kids, and can't be around them 24-7. I don't rely oh some man to support me, or the state to support me.
So, I allow them to have cellphones for safety reasons, and it has served me VERY well. My girls lock up their phones in the morning (in their lockers) and take them out after school. What could someone possibly have against that?

i say total freedom. They should be allowed to use them during class, it's the student's choice if they want to learn or not. teachers should not be allowed to take someone's phone because that is stealing. and if teachers are allowed to use their phones, students should too.

patarican1, did you read my comment? there is no one in the school office during after school sports.

Why do kids need phones in the first place? I came from a time when if you needed to call someone, you used the house phone, and if you could not reach them you went to their house. Parents don't need to contact their kids during school hours for any reason, and kids don't need to text anyone during school hours. Any and all emergencies can be handled through the school office. Unplug from the mainstream!

ok, both of my middle school children have cell phones. I let them take them to school for emergencies only. They know to lock them in their lockers during the day, as they are not allowed to be used during the school day at their school. For those of you who think that someone is always at the school to notify them of emergencies. you are wrong!! the reason i let my kids take them is that they are in after school sports and there is no time to come home and get the phone after school. sometimes practice can end early or be cancelled and my children are too far away to walk. so should i just let them catch a ride with someone i dont know? or walk by themselves?

Get these adult tools out of the hands of children. You can ALWAYS reach your child when they are at school, just call the school! Parents have been doing that for generations.

Imagine taking a multiple choice test in a class where cell phones are allowed. The top students could send all the answers around. It may make sense to allow these things to be in a pocket or purse while they are off. However, they better stay off or they should be banished to a school lockup "penalty box".

I say Ban them altogether. Why do they need a cell phone in class??? We never had them and it didn't kill us! What in the world do they need them for?? If there is an emergency the school will take care of it. If you need to reach a parent or something in case you're sick etc.. The school will take care of it. Cell phones are not a must for kids during school hours. They are there to learn, not talk on the phone.

my daughter carries her cell phone incase of emergencies or if i may need to get a message to her she has it on silent and checks it in between classes. however if they are banned from school the teachers should not be allowed to have them on or use them during school hours too. my daughter had a teacher last yr that was constantly texting on it.

I would NEVER ban them. My daughter was saved by carrying her cellphone to school. She was almost abducted and thought fast and called the police.
She locks her cell in her locker during school. Anything can happen nowadays. Those people for total bans have such narrow thinking.

I agree ban them in school, kids are there to learn and using their phones during class is just teaching them to be rude and inconsiderate. I did not have a cell phone not that they had them way back when. My children did not have them when they were in school if I need to contact them or they needed to contact me go to the office or use the phone booth (do they have them anymore?) I do have one now but it is never on it is just for an emergency yes I am paying for a service I do not use. But it is there in case I break down or get in an accident. And I agree they should be banned while driving also.

How about we do not give kids cell phones or pagers at all to start with and take a more active roll in our kids rearing. It is way to easy to just give in and let them have the phone or what ever just so they fit in or any excuse you can come up with. Who is the parent anyway? Act like one!

Cell phone policies in Elementary and Middle School should be tougher than high school policy. A good high school finds a way to incorporate technology into the curriculum. Cell phones are a distraction in general society but I have not met a CEO without a cell phone in more than a decade. It's not the teachers job to teach a child cell phone etiquette, but we can teach our youth how to maximize these technology tools and encourage appropriate use in school and in life.

if the students can not use the cell phones on school property then neither can the teachers.
i do not think they should be able to use them in class but see no reason y they can not be used before or after school and during lunch time etc.

To steal from Charlton Heston: "You can take my cell phone when you pry it from my cold, dead hand."

In all seriousness, the cell phones do pose a distraction to classroom activities. This much is true beyond any doubt. However, where is the harm in letting the kids use them at lunch, before or after school or in between classes?

Perhaps it's just me, but I've always felt that kids will do whatever they can to test their limits and the limits of those around them. I think it has been that way since the dawn of time. More rules and harsher punishments will not change that. When I was in school, this wasn't an issue, but cell phones were the size of a briefcase and were too expensive. My friends and I still figured out ways to fool around incognito during class. The most successful venture involved a TI-81 graphing calculator, a bit of programming knowledge and an eye for detail. Mix it up and play Tetris during class. To the casual observer, you're doing trigonometry homework, but really you're playing a video game! The horror!

I think that the worst part of this is that nearly 10% of the people that answered the poll question wants to see no restrictions or at least out of sight.

Just how in the world would THAT work? As long as Johnny or Janie keep their backs turned to the teacher, they can text all they want?

Students are in school to learn.
Cellphones serve no purpose in the classroom except as a distraction from learning.
If something happens, the instructor or the administration will contact those who need to be contacted.
Finally, it is plain rude to the teachers and to those who are wanting to learn.

The problem with allowing cell phones in class is that they are often used for cheating. Kids don't NEED a cell phone during the school day. If their parents need to get them a message, they can just call the office like they always have. It is easy to say "let them have them and if they miss out on class, that is their own problem", but when that same kid is failing, it becomes the fault of the teacher, so the teacher has a vested interest in keeping the kids off the phone. Time to teach responsible use.

themole...

...glad to help...feel free to use the rules as needed...they are in the public domain and not copyrighted.

As for the school board...nice thought and it might be interesting, but I've got a few too many skeletons in my closet that I'd just as soon LEAVE in the closet.

madman1961 Thanks for your info. Not only did your post make me smile, but your cell phone rules make total sense. Please consider a run for School Board. We need people like you to start letting kids and parents know that their 'entitlement' attitudes are not getting them anywhere.

A few years back I was on jury duty in Beloit, one case was against a young man accused of being a drug dealer. The police officer testified that "normal" teens do not have cell phones, only those that need them to handle drug deals. Wow, have times changed. I hate cell phones, but I do have one, only because I do a lot of driving at night. I resent seeing people using their cell phones in the grocery line loud enough for everyone in line to hear their business, and now the teens are texting in an abbreviated language so much that most of them cannot write a letter that needs a complete word spelled out. I raised my children without a cell phone and they lived and now have children with cell phones. If you are going to restrict cell phone use in the schools, start with educating the parents on the proper use of a cell phone. It is a beautiful tool if used properly but when you have a parent that wants to be able to contact their child on a minute's notice for any little thing, then you will face an uphill battle restricting the use of cell phones in any school setting. I have met very few people that can concentrate on a speaker when they are busy texting a message, so I feel for the teachers that have to put up with this new problem in their classrooms.

Put me down for a vote for total ban.

If you simply MUST have your phone for the drive in or the bus ride in or the walk to school...(does anyone actually still walk to school?)...then as soon as you get to school, you go to the office and turn it in...upon leaving school at the end of the day, stop by the office to pick up your phone.

And no, you can't leave your last class early to get your phone before the bus leaves. If you REALLY want your phone, you'll figure it out.

First offense for not turning in your phone...school keeps your phone for a week.

Second offense...school destroys your phone with a hammer.

Third offense...you will be in in-school suspension for a month.

Further offenses will increase the amount of time that you are on in-school suspension.

Not fair? Too harsh? Get over it...

Rule #1 is that life is not fair.

Rule #2 is that whining about rule #1 will NOT change rule #1.

No one really gives that much of a damn about what you need to talk/text/twitter/whatever about

When I was in grade school,, the school didn't even have a phone,,,,OMG, am I that old,,,lol

Ya know, it might be new technology and all, but I survived high school just fine without a phone. I have two part time jobs and my cell phone is banned from both. I manage okay. If it is an emergency, then it is different, but what constitutes an emergency? My daughter went to high school in Monroe and they banned them entirely from the school. If you got caught with one on the premises, it was confiscated and given back at the END of the week. She survived and actually learned something. I also favor banning them from use when driving too. Can't tell you how many times I have almost been hit by young adults not paying attention to what they are doing because they have that cell phone up to their ear with one hand and a cigarette in the other. BAN THEM.

Cell phones are a must have at all times. Try going to work or somewhere for the day without you phone. Yea I know, it would suck and you would be lost. Its the same thing for our kids. What if something bad happened during school and parents wanted to know if their child was ok, or what if a student had to report an emergency or was even hurt and couldn't get help. You guys remember the man that crashed his motorcycle by the new wal-mart? If he didn't have a cell phone he would have died. I think all parents should fight to not have cell phones banned in schools.

I would like to ad though if the behavior of the offender IS disrupting class, then by all means, he/she should be permanently removed.

I am not ripping 'on you' per se'. I am just saying, if the kid wants to pay more attention to their phone then you....let them. They are only hurting themselves if the whole scene is going to take place. That child isn't going to care about learning. If they cared, humiliation would take place by getting caught. I am just saying pick your battles....and I am sure as a teacher, you know which ones are going to care if they get caught.

optimism: Iam not sure how I am making "such a SCENE" when I quietly and politely ask a student who is breaking a rule to "please" hand over the phone. It would take less than 3 very quiet seconds for this transaction to happen...barely a blip in the classroom flow. Remember, in addition to teaching, it is part of my job to enforce rules. There are rules and consequences at school just as there are on the job - asking students to comply with expectations is helping to prepare them for future rules and expectations. I am not rude or over the top when I ask students to comply. Many are rude and scene-making by responding in a disrespectful and juvenile manner, especially because they already know if they are caught with it, they will be asked to turn it in. Insubordination,cussing, and crying over the loss of a cell phone for a few hours is simply ludicrous, and it is NOT my doing but a choice the student has made as his/her response. And by the way, I do actually care when one of my students makes a choice to "lose out" on a learning opportunity...If I didn't care, I certainly wouldn't be there! :)

Oh get over it. If the student wants to use the cell phone. Let them. They are the ones losing out, when you the teacher make such a SCENE about a cell phone, you have chosen to make the whole class lose out. JMO

As a teacher, I certainly want them banned from class; I wouldn't mind a policy that would allow use before/after school, or even between classes. The main issue is and will remain enforcement of partial or total ban. When I do confiscate phones during class, I usually end up with a student refusing to hand it over (and clearly I can not force it from his/her fingers), which then leads to verbal confrontation and being sent to the office (sometimes they refuse to leave so I have to call for an escort!)- all of which has only further disrupted the class and lessened the learning. Sometimes these battles happend with students in the hall, and I never even find out who it is for them to receive any kind of consequence at all. (Currently students are not supposed to be on them between 7:30 and 3:30 pm at my school) Students think it is funny to see someone refuse to hand over their phone. It is also not uncommon to have students (usually girls for some reason) actually scream at me, cuss at me, and even burst into tears while refusing to hand it over. Then, whether or not I get the phone,I spend a lot of time writing up a referral, calling home, getting the phone secured in the vault, etc. It is just insane! Maybe if the consequence were more stringent, in time, the offenses would lessen, and these daily epic battles would eventually go away! I wish ALL parents would stress the importance of following the cell phone policy with their kids and have severe consequences at home in addition to the school ones for violations.

Smash them with a hatchet!

Simply banning them is like using a hatchet when you need a scalpel. There are instances where having the cell phone could be very advantageous. I'm speaking chiefly of emergency and emergency-like situations. Normal, every day use should not be tolerated.

Ban them.

They need to ban them from using them while driving too.

As long as they are not used during the day time and kept either in a locker or in purse/pocket turned off, they should be allowed in school.

cellphones and pagers were considered "gang related" or comparable to drug dealing paraphernalia when I was in school.

Let the kids have their phone but restrict the use at school to emergencies only. Failure to comply should result in confiscation and retrieval by the parent or by the student if they are 18 and agree in writing that there will not be a second offense. The second offense should result in a ban on having a cellphone altogether and the detention of the choice of the educator/responsible adult witnessing the student abusing the policy.