Are you a teacher? Have they disturbed you teaching lessons on a regular basis? Have students cheated in your classes using phones? Have students at your school used them to tape fights between other kids? If so, then maybe you might understand, but from your statements, I guess not
I've taken away phones, even from kids stupid enough(and I mean stupid) to text while sitting in the front row right next to my desk. Cell phones are not a necessity item, we all survived fine without them for many years, did we not?
I've caught kids texting during class, taking pictures, recording others without permission, etc...Why the hell does the kid need the phone on during the day? They are at school, and they are there to learn, not take phone calls and text their friends two classrooms down. They can't wait the 55 minutes of class time to "talk" with their friends during the passing period or at snack/lunch? I understand having them for emergencies, but what happened in the old days when we had emergencies? Oh wait, our parents came and got us or called the school to get us out of class.
How many of these phone calls that students are getting are actual emergencies? Maybe less than .01% WTF are parents thinking calling their kids during class? It's CLASS!
If, as a parent, you don't like the rules for the school where you child is designated to go, perhaps you shouldn't send them there. I don't see how expecting school to be a learning environment and expecting it to be uninterrupted by a ringing phone is archaic.