New York City's ban of cell phones in schools is not going over well with parents. The ban has actually been in effect for years, but has only been loosely enforced (more of a don't act don't tell policy). When random weapons checks started being performed this year, school officials started yanking cell phones too.
"These kids are students, not prisoners," wrote another parent, whose daughter travels from their home in Brooklyn to school in Manhattan.
Many concerned parents want their children to carry cell phones for safety. In letters, some noted 9/11 and that cell phones provided key communication channels in a time of chaos.