VISTA -- Passing notes in class has been modernized in the digital age with text messaging on cell phones, and some school officials believe the trend is a growing problem.

Though campuses have their own rules for students using cell phones, some Vista Unified officials recently recommended drafting a districtwide policy to help curb abuse and align the rules for all students in the district.

"Cell phone usage is a pain," said Peggy Harper, assistant principal at Vista High School, echoing the sentiments of teachers and administrators throughout the district.

Though students seldom take phone calls while in class, text messaging has become a problem over the last couple of years, educators said. It's distracting, not only for the students who are sending and reading messages, but also for the other students in the class, as teachers often have to stop class to take phones away, teachers said.

"We've got to figure out some way of reigning that in," Trustee David Hubbard said of text messaging during class.

The school board is expected to discuss whether or not a districtwide policy should be written up at its next meeting.

Students and educators tend to agree that there are advantages to having cell phones at school, primarily increased student safety. Because of this, there has been no talk of completely banning cell phones on campus, just during class.

Rachel Kaiser, a 10th-grader at Rancho Buena Vista, said she feels safer knowing that she has her phone with her, especially when she's leaving school in the evening after sports practice or other extracurricular activities.

"Our parents want to know what's going on -- if we're safe," she said.

While exact numbers are not known, district officials agree that most middle and high school students carry cell phones.

In general, students on the district's 30 campuses are allowed to use the phones at lunch and during breaks but are required to keep them turned off during class.

Consequences for breaking the rules also vary from campus to campus, but they typically involve taking the device away for the day.

"We end up with drawers full of them," Harper said.

Repeat offenders can end up with detention or Saturday school at Vista High and can have their phone taken away for the remainder of the school year at Rancho Buena Vista High.

A handful of Rancho Buena Vista students interviewed last week on their lunch break said they think the rules and penalties are too harsh.

"In reality, you need your phone," said Evan Hubble, a ninth-grader at the school. "I don't think they have the right to take it away."

Hubble acknowledged that students frequently exchange text messages during class, but said it would be less distracting if they didn't have to do it surreptitiously. He said he thinks students should be allowed to use their phones during class as long as they don't "overdo it."

"I don't think it's distracting at all," he said. "It's just something that's kind of like becoming second nature to us."

If the district had a uniform policy for all of its schools, students and parents would know exactly what is and isn't allowed in classrooms throughout the district, trustees said.

Trustee Carol Herrera said she envisions a possible district policy being basically the same as what the schools are already doing, but would expect it to increase enforcement through uniformity.

Linda Van Solkema, a math teacher at Rancho Buena Vista, agreed, saying that some teachers treat cell phone usage differently than others, leaving the students confused about what the rules actually are.

"The students need a clear, consistent message," she said. "I think the problem is inconsistency."

Any policy the district drafts would likely include any electronic communication or entertainment devices, officials said.

"Anything that could be used during class time and divert their attention from the lesson is probably going to get wrapped into this," Hubbard said.

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 631-6622 or sbrandt@nctimes.com. Comment at nctimes.com.