Yes, for the most part. There are a few instances where they should be allowed such as the downloading of apps that help with, say, science classes and so forth. Otherwise, they are a huge distraction.
If the family needs to contact the child in an emergency, they can call the school and the school can relay the message to the child. It worked for me in the 60's and 70's, it can work now too.
Technology is such a major part of our lives that none of us can escape it. It comes with responsibility and accountability which seems to be the hardest part of the equation. No doubt they can be a distraction but safety and convenience play a bigger part in my opinion.
Because what you see on TV is the other opponent slamming the other one and it's all false . If you want the truth go to the town hall meetings. Cause there is so much fake news out now these days .