Okay let's not forget that some students have a really hard time asking questions in class. And while you can go on the "they should know how to", the fact still remains that a lot of kids miss out on learning because they're shy or socially anxious.

Smartphones make it possible to find answers very quickly. In some cases, a student may decide against asking for clarification on a subject in an open classroom but at least they know they can use their smartphone to find the answer they need. While cell phones can occasionally be a distraction in class, I'm not denying that, they can also be a benefit to the student by instilling in them the values of responsibility and work readiness while also giving them the reassurance that they are safe.

Passing notes was distracting too, but we didn't ban paper now, did we?