Richard, as we all know, paddling with a board, tennis shoe, etc. is no longer an option for school imposed discipline. No amount of "hankering" for the good old days is going to bring it back. Your situation moved forward to the present day would find the "bulliers" being held accountable and/or the school being held accountable/liable for your need to "defend" yourself.

Back to the question posed about the school providing an intermediary penalty for an illegal activity: do you think a school should be involved when the penalty is directed towards participation in an extracurricular activity; that is, not an activity that the school is required to sponsor, or one in which the student is required to participate?