You don't need hundreds of distraction/cheating pocket computers in a giant invisible wireless network for that, a school could easily route the information if the organization chose to do so.
The technology was used as an end-run around an organizational barrier.
He wants to go home with Tommy instead? Well too bad, that wasn't the plan.
As someone who grew up mostly before cell phones, it forced a greater level of planning, responsibility, and freedom on me than kids now normally experience.
I'd often call my parents (gasp! Remembering my house phone number!) to adjust plans, by telling them where I'd be for how long. And generally, they had no problem with it.
I laugh thinking about the absolute fucking nuclear meltdown a lot of helicopter parents would have today at middle schoolers saying "I'll be over at this friend's house for the day. Will give you a call closer to dinner. If you want me, call their house phone, but we might be out in the neighborhood or woods."
The takeaway is that phones should never have been allowed in school. They distract from school, and kids need to learn to focus on tasks without being distracted.