To ban texting entirely is to pretend the world outside the schoolhouse door does not exist. It creates a controlled environment that bears no resemblance to a modern university or workplace, where adults are expected to triage their own digital interruptions. Conversely, to allow unrestricted, secretive texting is to abdicate the teacher’s role as a guide to attention.

If the apps are blocked on Wi-Fi and you have no data signal, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the most powerful tool in your arsenal.

If apps are blocked but the browser is open, web versions of popular texting services can often slip through the cracks.