Agreed, litigious parents have slowly eroded educators ability to discipline kids in a manner that would curb bad behavior.  When I was in high school 20 or so years ago the principal burst through the door of a science teacher that was being chronically disrupted by a few kids, pulled the "ring leader" out of the room by his shirt collar and threw him up against the lockers outside before screaming in his face, maybe even threatening him with further punishment if the actions continued.  We all learned a lot more in class after that and the disruptive behavior was no more.  Not saying that was the correct approach, but it was damn effective.