Lacks The Computing Power To Understand

(I am a graduate level student. I am a full-grown adult and so is everyone else in my class. I do not have a laptop or tablet, so I switch between taking notes on my latest model of [Smartphone] and paper and pencil. I often look up theorists or writers and bookmark them for later. My friend, in the same class, has an ancient laptop that is at least 7 or 8 years old but works fairly well. She also goes between a notebook and computer. My professor calls me in for a one-on-one meeting.)

Professor: “I find it very distracting and upsetting that you are on your phone so much during class. It’s a very small group and very noticeable.”

Me: “Oh! No, I have a smartphone, and I’m using it to look things up and make notes, sometimes order books or papers.”

Professor: “It’s very unprofessional to be texting.”

Me: “You do realize my smartphone is more advanced than [Other Student]’s computer, right?”

Professor: “She is not texting on her computer.”

Me: “Well, I’m not texting either, but you can send texts and messages from the computer to people’s phones. The only inherent difference between the two of us is that my system is smaller and more advanced with a touchscreen.”

Professor: “If you want to bring in a laptop, that’s fine, but I expect your phone to stay in your pocket during class.”

Me: “If you prefer us not to have electronics that’s fine, but you can’t single out my phone without including everyone else’s laptops and tablets.”

Professor: “Phones are not computers! This is very different!”

(I never did convince him that smartphones are computers, but he eventually stopped complaining about my phone after I made an effort to show him what I was doing on it.)