While some schools try and ban cell phones, others are working with students to incorporate the technology into the classroom.

An essay contest in Maine brought students opinion on the matter, which can be summarized with the following points:

• Using cell phones to misbehave is no different than other behavioral problems (having a phone should not itself constitute misbehaving).
• The majority of students own phones (90% of highschool students), so ignoring, or denying cell phone use is more trouble than embracing it.
• (From the middle school winner:) everyone's familiar with the complaint that schools can't afford textbooks, especially as they go out of date somewhat quickly. Cell phones can be used to subsidize education with fact checking and the availability of current news and events.
• Bringing technology into the classroom, like cell phone use, is critical to preparing kids for their future careers.

Certainly there will be hold-outs under the guise of traditionalists. The biggest issue will be getting used cell phones (a better deal!) into the hands of that small percentage of students who don't have their own cell phone.

In the case of those whose parents object, some schools already have programs where a limited number of electronic devices (calculators, iPods, etc.) can be "checked out" during class.

For students whose families are disadvantaged, used cell phones, even without a contract, are a great way to ensure they have the safety the rest of society enjoys: being able to call 911 in an emergency, from anywhere. Pay phones no longer exist, and putting used cell phones into the hands of those who need them, students or parents, is an easy, achievable form of charity.

Many people have used cell phones to donate sitting in a closet somewhere, so make sure you find out how to support your community by recylcing used cell phones (also consider used cell phone drives for soldiers & battered women).