I'm sad.

[ExtremelyWokeMatt]

1. It's not uncommon, it's a psychological reaction to being boxed in on a standardized conveyor belt

The system is, unfortunately, sometimes not respectable. Your options are to change your approach, lobby for the system to change, or move somewhere less tumultuous. Cracking down on them without a cellphone ban or creatively engaging curriculum will probably backfire and make them more resentful and uncooperative, especially at the middle school age. If you expect to dole out cookie cutter assignments and demand respect for a system they already know doesn’t care… well… you run a psychology class so it’s not rocket science. This is not the 80s anymore, sorry.