Rick you obviously have been around for some time as a teacher (strange to cite the number of hours on duty instead of the # of years on the job), but frankly it's a different landscape now.

You're just as likely to be hauled into the office by the administration for intervening or harassed by parents in this day and age. Many of my colleagues walk on eggshells around disrespectful kids for fear of upsetting the parents. The first thing that comes to most teachers' heads when dealing with kids: liability.