Or at a factory where you are literally required to wear hearing protection?

I make this same argument for why we should be taking away their phones in high school. If they aren't responsible deal with that, just like it happens in a work place.

They didn't even try. Make a social pressure thing. Giving everyone extra work when a classmate is caught is far more effective than teaching them to be sneakier.

my own opinion based on my own experiences: we should push each other to build up distress tolerance while listening to people and doing things in a graduated manner.

In general, you have an easier time in life the higher you can get your set point for being uncomfortable. However where that is starting from, what effects it, how sensitive you are, and how resilient you are varies person to person.

It's extremely limiting and it does make you difficult to be around even when people are trying to accommodate you if you can't tolerate "normal" or accepted levels of stimulation or specific stimuli. Like if you can't idk tolerate background noise at shitty restaurants without acoustic baffling like carpets and curtains (something I have a lot of difficulty with) the reality is that you're either going to be excluded from a lot of things or have a miserable time and exclude yourself.

But eating cement on everything is self destructive, and exposure and acclimatisation is about gradual increments to keep the basal amount of distress below the reenforcement spiral.

No, but yes. Also yes, but no. Exposure breeds immunity. A little at a time.