Technology

That's a good take but I gotta say- kids are kids. They WILL slack off, they will goof off, they will use the phones for other things. This isn't a critique- it's what kids do.

If they need tools then a couple ipads or similar can be used. I don't find the argument "they need to exist with smartphones in society" convincing for school. At work you know you'll be fired if you're caught using your phone too much, etc. and slacking off. Kids aren't under the same pressure as that and quite frankly I wouldn't expect them to act with that level of maturity as even some adults don't and they're older and should be wiser.

As for the problem of just existing with them? I feel like that is yet another thing that school won't solve. That is up to their parents, etc. Good habits start at home. Expecting schools to solve all problems (especially ones so entrenched like socioeconomic conditions, poverty, etc.) is half of why we're here in the first place. But guess what? If the kid is given a tablet or allowed to use a cell phone at the table and basically whenever/wherever they want, do you think their behavior will be different in school? Do you think it's up to the school to be forcing this? That is yet another ridiculous burden I think we'd put on teachers and staff.

Moreover, don't you think we should be conditioning these kids that it's ok to exist without a phone?

These kids won't be worse off without phones. Like you said- the rest of us did just fine without them. Let them have a calculator and computers in computer class and call it a day.