Payphone??? Our local HS and MS don't have payphones outside anymore. The office won't let them use the phone to call home or call parents at work ("If we let one do it..."). I sat in the MS office last year waiting for my son and watched the secretary tell a 12 year old girl she couldn't call her mom at work because it wasn't a local call. She said "You're going to have to have a local number to call." ???? Mom is supposed to give up her job to be at a local number??
The last time I left home without my cell phone I drove around 3 towns looking for a payphone. All the ones I knew of-been there for years-had been removed. I ended up driving all the way back home again. I can teach 'em to use a payphone (and they know-they even used to be able to call home collect on one) but you've got to find one first.
Every states phone companies are not equal I guess.
As for the school tell them you'll sue them if they ever deny your kid to phone home in an emergency, that usually smartens them up.