midwest of United States, 2007(7th)[12-13yo]-2012(12th)[17-18]

- 2007(7th): The mosquito ring tone was a popular notification ring tone. I recall a friend testing it with my math teacher during class. He could not hear it.

- 2010(10th): The last time I recall passing notes in class... I got caught. Apologies to my Geometry teacher. He was one of the best teachers I had.

- 2012(12th): I(late to the party) bought my first phone... The only time I recalll using my phone was when went to the bathroom and accidently dropped it in in the toilet. :'( ... 3 days in a bag of rice and it worked just fine. I'm sure I must have used it in the toilet too many times for that to have happened, but I don't recall ever using it in class, as the punishment was confiscation of the phone and it wouldn't be returned until a parent signed off in person.

Yes, at some point, "the experts" seem to have decided that it was very important children must be allowed to have their smartphones in class. Totally ridiculous. I guess that marks my ascension to curmudgeonhood.

A loud minority of parents agitated for it enough that lots of schools caved. Educators don’t want phones in classrooms.

No, I've certainly seen a lot of education sector academics argue for allowing them. Just do an internet search for it and you'll find "experts" on both sides. I don't know about the teachers at the coalface, I can imagine their word carries about as much weight as any pleb worker in a bloated bureaucracy like education. I have seen stories about teachers being assaulted bullied and attacked by child and parent when trying to enforce these bans though, so I would be surprised if even those are unanimous on the issue.

There are a lot of parents that have this fantasy in their head of a school shooting in which their child calls them to say goodbye. Or, much more delusional, thinks there'd be anything they can do to help them in the event their child is in one, and can contact them.

Much more likely the case, the phone makes a sound, vibration or otherwise, and gives away the child's location to a would be shooter.

I was about to say. Phones were not allowed and this was when the 3310 was the peak of mobile tech to have!

This is Melbourne Australia.

Born in 1988. Just like you, Nokia 3310. Banned in high school.

I remember being 'caught' with a Game Boy Advance, tried to hide it, teacher saw me, and actually told me it was fine.

It was forbidden; that didn't mean certain people I may have known cheated in the Latin exam via online translations while all sitting at the windows for better light and connectivity.