I’M KIND OF EMBARRASSED to see this happen in Tennessee: “According to the Williamson County School System, self defense is no defense when it comes to getting suspended for fighting. ” In that case, I think she should sue the school system and principal for failing to protect her.

UPDATE: Related thoughts here.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Roger Martin emails: “Sadly this is common practice. My co-worker’s son was jumped by three students in McGavock High School here in Nashville a couple of years ago. All were suspended for three days. The dad, my co-worker, protested to the principal. The principal showed him tapes of the fight. It was clear that the three other kids started the fight by jumping my co-worker’s son. But tough luck, the zero tolerance policy says that all must suspended. My co-worker’s son was a straight A student and the three thugs that jumped him had just returned from another suspension for fighting. This is very common in the Middle Tennessee area schools and most likely all over the US.”

Sounds like we need legislation.

MORE: Reader Dennis Halpin writes:

My son had a similar problem here in Seattle. I called the principal and told him to inform the aggressor that assault and battery is a criminal offense and I would press charges if it happened again. Then I was going to sue the school, the district and the principal for not providing a safe place for my son to go to school. Aggression that had been going on literally for years stopped, but only when the consequences got big enough to get their attention.

Yep. Violence is only a problem when it’s a problem for the people in charge. In general, it’s probably better to be a litigious jerk in these circumstances. They’ve made clear that that’s the behavior they want to reward . . . .