> This may be an unpopular opinion in today's world
Kids were swapping porn mags, smoking cigarettes and pot in the 70s and drinking underage back in the 30s. What "yesterday's world" are you talking about here?
The history of discipline in public education shows that the engagement of parents of teachers has changed drastically over time. Some kids doing bad things sometimes throughout history doesn't indicate otherwise.
Honestly i feel like those (except cigs) might be more healthy than phones. Those infractions you are talking about weren't happening 24/7 but in rare circumstances. All of them are forms of addiction.