My first thought was "bullshit"

and after giving it further thought, I still think it is bullshit. From Steve Gilliard regarding NYC prohibiting cell phones from schools:

This is going to result in tragedy one day. All you need is a school shooting, forget terrorism, even a fire, and you could create panic which could be avoided if kids could use their phones to call home.

The city is headed for litigation over this, when common sense would suffice. Kisd should have access to cells for emergencies.If they answer them in class, then unless someone died, they should lose the right to use them in school.

But without the ability to communicate, and Mike Daly is not exagurating, you could really create needless tension.

Today is a perfect day, cloudless sky, 67 and sunny. You know what we call those days
in New York. 9/11 days.

The kids need access to phones, for peace of mind if nothing else.

Yeah, like the kids having phones is going to do anything. First, it's not going to prevent something, and then, it's only going to exacerbate things as hundreds of kids are trying to call home, causing a panic among parents. The last thing emergency personnel want is emotional people interfering with their efforts.

The amazing thing is that for decades kids have gone to school without cell phones (myself among them), and there never was a problem. Now all of a sudden there is because cell phones might not be available? Nope.