To those that stood up for a teacher: THANK YOU, it is very much appreciated.
To those that disagree with me: I am the teacher of room 210. It is MY classroom. I teach an ELECTIVE class. If you do not like it, I will open the door for your exit.
When I took over this ag program, I inheritied SENIORS who had played video games in class. Talked on cell phones. Texted others the answers to the text in History. And basically did nothing. But it made the kids happy, and it made the parents happy that their kid was happy. These seniors were madder than hell when I expected them to read their text book, write reports, and (the horror) balance feed rations. They complained and whined, and their parents called the principle and school board. They talked to their neighbors about what an awful teacher I was. Turns out the "college materials" I was teaching them was how to balance a ration for protein (just one requirement), write a report on a beef breed, and research a topic that was currently important to animal agriculture. Yep, that was too hard. Why? Because these were the kids that got to do anything they wanted in class (including using cell phones) and didn't know the difference between a cow and a bull. A boar and a sow. And a buck/ram and a ewe. Seniors in high school. That had attended ag classes previously.
If an emergency comes up, the parent can call the office, which will then track the student down within seconds and call them in. No need for cell phones. And trust me folks, if you haven't looked at a teens cell phone lately, I would encourage you to do so. Look past the simple "make a call, receive a call" device and notice that many answers are stored on these phones, many nasty jokes are stored there, and lets not mention all the "photos" that would be considered child porn if police ever saw them. How would you feel if your son/daughter was photographed in the locker room and it was made public? How about those wonderful shots in the restroom? Kids do not use their phone for simply "a telephone". It is their way of feeling bigger than they are, more intelligent than they are, more popular than they are and richer than they are.
farwest, I do not doubt that your kids and I wouldn't get along. I have found in my short career so far as a teacher that the apple does not fall far from the tree.