I am working with a local philanthropic group who took on one of the poorest schools in our district to help create a better support system for the children and parents. One of the surprising things they found in their initial survey is that more families had smart phones than had permanent addresses. To that end, we are developing a free smart phone app for easier access to school content and breaking information. The school will be able to send out instant push notices through the app for things like closures, emergencies, school meetings, etc.
Will the app serve the entire community? No. But it will be a great tool for those who can use it - and that user base is growing exponentially even in a high poverty demographic. The school still supports a website, email notices, phone call notices, in-school paper bulletin board, etc., but that shouldn't prevent innovation until it is accessible to 100% of the population.
If you're uncomfortable with the SMS reminders to your child's phone, just say no. It is your choice - and it should be your choice. If you don't pay for texting and don't want to use a web-based texting service like Google Voice, then don't. That is also a very acceptable decision. It is your kid, your family, your comfort level.
But what I would suggest is not using a broad brush to paint it as a bad idea because it doesn't fit where you are right now. For another parent with a kid who forgets everything, this may be the Holy Grail of solutions.
