The point is not to make up reasons to use phones in class but rather to identify opportunities to teach students responsible use of phones, which will exist outside of class and well into the future.

Some do that as well. Generally though, I support teachers pushing a little bit more responsibility onto the kids.

At work, you’d take a picture of the whiteboard with your phone. It’s a valuable life skill.

It's snapping a picture of a whiteboard. It's not a "life skill".

The life skill is the responsible and appropriate use of technology. The worst thing the school can do is come up with constraints so narrow that the kids get through school without having to exercise judgement or restraint.

At least, not one people really need to be taught.

Which is a form of data leak, and generally against company policies, even though most people still do it.