professionalism is...

So my first period has turned on me. I shouldn't say turned on me, really, because that invokes what goes on when I walk past the art teacher's room, and it isn't that: kids sitting on top of desks, constant noise, total disregard for authority, that sort of thing. It's not at that level at all.
The thing is, they're talking. None of my other classes talk, because they're not allowed to. If they want permission to speak, they raise their hands. Period. This has rarely been a problem. But with first period, there's a constant low murmer. It's hard to pinpoint one student, just sort of a general hum that, while low, still succeeds in driving me to distraction.
I have instituted several classroom management techniques to deal with this. I called all of their parents with limited success (some were wrong numbers, one girl, upon recognizing my voice, hung up on me). This did make a difference. Also they inspired me to institute a semi-bogus 'professionalism' grade, which worked for about a week and a half. Now I'm having them sign a contract which states that, unless they obtain permission to speak, they will recieve an automatic one hour detention. Their second consequence will be overnight suspension, which means that, in order to return to school, they must bring a parent in to have a meeting with both myself and the principal. The principal has been very supportive of whatever disciplinary action I choose, and, although this seems a little harsh, I think it's unfair to the students that they suffer from being in this first period class. So here goes. They're the only ones who will have to sign contracts, because they're the only ones that need to.
Other than that, things are great. Lots of quizzes. Reading Macbeth. If you know any struggling actors who will work for a meal and a couch, please let me know.