Cellphones in the classroom? No thanks!

Okay, I get it. Technology is valuable and wonderful and ever-present in the classroom. But I draw the line at cellphones. I see the merit of using phones for certain tasks, however, I think students would abuse the privilege. It would drive me CRAZY if I was giving a profound lecture or engaging my class in a riveting discussion, only to see a kid texting away on his phone. 

In his argument against cellphones in the classroom, Josh Allen asserts that "nothing that you can do on a cellphone will inspire students as they make their way into the world." I think that is a tad harsh, but I do agree that we can use other avenues of technology in lieu of cellphones. I have a hard time believing that socially excitable students could resist the temptation to use their phones during a 70-minute class, so I'd rather not give them the temptation. 

Over the course of our MAT classes the past couple of months, several ideas for incorporating phones into the classroom have been broached. They sound good in theory, but I have to ask, can students exercise restraint in using the phones for personal agendas? And on a broader level, how much technology is too much technology? Where do we draw the line?