MikeK
Gold Member
And a student, especially in a public (free) school has a moral obligation to demonstrate gratitude for a teacher's effort on his behalf by staying awake. Or at least not punching the teacher for waking him in a manner he resented as much as the teacher resented his falling asleep in class.
Again, how hard did he "hit" you? Did he just firmly tap you with the book to wake you or did he strike you with sufficient force to qualify as aggravated assault? You've said he "chose to use violence" against you. Please be more specific about the level of "violence." Can you describe the action?
Again, would you prefer he just let you sleep and send you to the Principal's Office when you woke? Because in the long run having that in your record might cause you more of a problem than would a simple tap with a book to wake you. Because your school record is considered by college and university admissions boards.
I went to Catholic school in the 1940s and 50s and I've already made it clear what would happen there if a student fell asleep in class. Discipline was rigid and the effect was superior education. Both my brother and I would have much preferred public school but our parents, mainly our mother, wouldn't hear of it -- for which I am grateful today.
First, while you might think you had a right to punch that teacher, unless you could prove it was done in self defense you're quite mistaken. By touching you with a book he technically effected a simple assault. Because he did it to wake you there was no malicious or criminal intent on his part. Your only lawful recourse was to file a complaint. But you had no legal right to retaliate by punching him, which is aggravated assault. Two wrongs do not make a right.
How you should have handled it depends on many peripheral factors, such as your personal relationship with that teacher, his general disposition, what other students thought of him, if he was physically abusive to others? Etc.
