“I myself was hit numerous times. One time I was breaking up a fight...”
> Many school districts actively discourage teachers from pressing charges. <
Yes indeed. In the district where I worked it was a firing offense to call 911. You were supposed to call the school security office instead. That way everything could be hushed up.
A good friend of mine was attacked by a student armed with a knife. My friend got cut up pretty bad. He called 911 as he was trying to fend off the student. The school district rained hell down on my friend. How dare you call 911! My friend was lucky he wasn’t fired over that.
Many people want to blame teachers, or their union, for student misbehavior. They are aiming at the wrong target. It’s the school board that sets the policy. And no one else.