Cell Phones

One issue that I have been following closely has been the use of cell phones in classrooms. Currently I teach in a school that is not unlike other schools in that we strictly prohibit the use cell phones during the school day. It is almost as if it were the Eleventh Commandment. As with the other ten, there are those who follow the rules and those who do not. I read an interesting post by Steve Dembo over at Teach42 that has given me pause. Maybe we educators have been wrong about the cell phone. Maybe we need to revisit the idea. Steve list several uses for cell phones in the classroom. Uses that could potentially enhance instruction. The best use is the use of polling---which I would use as a formative assessment, a quick check for understanding. I have used the G-Cast in my class before to have students record their speaking. The issue needs to be addressed in a meaningful manner. Either we jam the signal or we allow students to have them and set some realistic parameters for their use. Although not a lawyer, I understand that there are some legal issues involved with jamming the signal. According to the FCC, cell phone companies pay to use particular frequencies and as such have established a property right in said signal. Thus, they cannot be denied their property with out due process. The FCC also prohibits states from interfereing with the federal government's ownership of the airwaves. This makes jamming the signal tantamount to theft. The issues was recently test in South Carolina, where the governor, Mark Sanford wanted to jam cell phone signals in prisons. Several years ago, we had a adminstrator who put the 'pal' in principal. He decided that we would allow students to use cell phones, int the hall between classes. It was a disater--to put it mildly. What would be a realistic concession for administrator/teachers to make? Is the prohibition universal? What is the logic behind said prohibition? (Is there more than just the simple distraction argument?)