That was said very well, Robo.

The ultimate 'defense' position for a teacher is this: Because teachers are charged with acting in 'loco parentis' (in the place of the parent), teachers must respond to situations involving students in the same way a 'reasonable' parent would given the same set of circumstances. Ultimately, it rides on that.

The strap, which I received a number of times when I was a student, taught me nothing--not about justice, not about fairness, not about a damn thing. I would never use it today on a student. In fact, I left an interview about fifteen years back after the super and the principal said that "we use the strap here." I replied, "Not on my students you don't." Of course, the interview was over.

The issue of self defense is another ball of wax. If a teacher behaved as a reasonable parent would have, things look good.