Cell Phones and Texting in Schools

Easter can be a time of revelation in more ways than one. As families and friends gather and conversations flourish lots of information is passed along. I had no idea that students in schools can have cell phones although they are not supposed to use them except at lunch time. However many students text all through their classes. How do they learn anything? Where are the teachers and why don't they care?
Now I realize that in case of an emergency students having a cell phone with them could be extremely helpful but that is the only use they should have during the school day.
I have worked in schools and I have negotiated both support staff and professional staff contracts and have argued against merit pay for some very good reasons. However, I am coming to the conclusion that merit pay is needed and administrators need to be more involved in actually observing what is going on in the classroom.
It is no wonder that the United States is falling behind many other countries in educational achievement if students are busy texting instead of being engaged in the learning process. Our dropout rate is increasing and the percentage of students going on to higher education is decreasing.
I believe that the No Child Left Behind has weakened our educational system by taking away the creativity of really good teachers. Instead of inspiring students to want to achieve and be innovative and imaginative learners they are constantly having to teach to the test.
Now I might have digressed from my original intent in this post and you might say what has all of this discussion have to do with cell phones in school. Well, there is a disconnect between the students, teachers administrators and parents that allows this type of behavior. Where is the pride in seeing our children become active, engaged learners? Where is the desire of teachers to have control of their classroom so that all children can be active learners? Where are the administrators who are supposed to make sure that the rules are enforced for both teachers and students?

DOES ANYONE CARE ANY MORE????