The days of getting a hall pass to use the school pay phones are long gone - now students and parents are fighting to keep cell phone use alive and well in their schools. Parents say that their kids need to be able to call home quickly in case of emergencies, while administrators see cell phones as distractions and a method of cheating.

A group of students enrolled in a program called “Model City Council” decided to have their own vote on the issue recently, narrowly voting in favor of allowing the phones in school buildings. The program is a run by the City University of New York and lets students engage in a very realistic governmental process, for more information on the program, click your way over here.