I had a bully who harassed me every day, threatening me and messing with my stuff. The school did nothing to stop it. One day I punched him hard in the face and told him there would be more until he stopped. The principal didn't punish me, just said don't do it again. He knew what was going on. The bully stopped making my life hell. 

Today I would have been tossed out of school for defending myself.