When I step into a classroom, my eyes often land on a dark blue calculator caddy with pockets that fit our cellphones perfectly — I become overwhelmed with a sense of dread.

Though phones can make some students less productive, students should be allowed to take more responsibility for their own learning. 

For a school that places so much emphasis on students taking initiative for their own learning and mimicking the rigorous college environment, the restrictions placed on cell phones refute such a notion and have a very middle school vibe. If teachers want to build such an environment, why don’t they give students the independence associated with one as well?