Cell phones were banned from most schools years ago, but after the Columbine High School and 9/11 tragedies, parents started pressuring some school boards and administrators to reverse the bans. On its surface, allowing students to have cell phones under the guise of improved school safety may seem like a "no-brainer" to many board members and administrators. But an in-depth analysis suggests that while students having cell phones may make parents feel better, it actually could create a less safe situation in a school crisis. The author discusses the discipline challenges of cell phones to school crisis management and suggests that school leaders should thoroughly analyze and discuss the downside of cell phones related to school safety issues. The author recommends school leaders to have strong emergency response and crisis communications plans to counter the negative impact cell phones have on real crises and rumors.