Cell Phones in the Classroom

I understand that there is a place for cell phones in the classroom. The argument for cell phones always being turned on is that it is a safety issue. Some schools force the students to turn their phones off and check them in to the teacher on standardized testing days to keep them from cheating. I have heard that parents have complained about this because they are worried about their kids not having their phone in an emergency situation.  If done correctly, cell phones can be used as an educational tool. For example, students can text in answers and do classroom polls. However, more often than not cell phones are a huge distraction in the classroom. I have sat in high school classes where 90 percent of the students are texting. As a grad student, I still struggle to not be distracted by my cell phone. This is why I would prefer to have cell phones turned off in my classroom.