Appeals court stands behind cell phone ban

Posted by Philissa at 9:56 AM

Bad news for critics of the citywide cell phone ban in schools: Yesterday, a state appeals court upheld the ban, saying that "the department has a rational interest in having its teachers and staff devote their time to educating students and not waging a 'war' against cell phones."

The author of the opinion also wrote, "If adults cannot be fully trusted to practice proper cell phone etiquette, then neither can children" — but that to me sounds like grounds for an etiquette lesson, not a costly rule that inconveniences families and causes students to feel alienated and persecuted.

Of course, many families won't let the ban stop them from sending their kids to school with a cell phone. Louise at Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, for example, recently wrote that she's contemplating getting her soon-to-be-6th grader a cell phone to provide security during the trip to and from middle school next year.