Bronx and city parents are reportedly planning to take the Department of Education to court over a ban on cell phones.

School officials say the ban has been in place since 1988, but it wasn?t until recently that schools started confiscating cell phones. According to the New York Times, a group called Chancellor?s Parent Advisory Council is filing a lawsuit Thursday to lift the ban. Many parents maintain that students have a right to keep cell phones to stay in touch with their families for safety reasons.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bloomberg (R-NY) and the schools chancellor have not wavered on the ban. Both say cell phones are disruptive and students can use them to cheat on exams. Both officials add that students are wasting time chatting and text messaging instead of learning.

Related Information:Bronx parents fear school cell phone ban puts kids in harm's way