> such cases were easily resolved

Hah!

In any case, it is a curious argument that, in order to show that stronger people should not hurt weaker people, you think it's okay for stronger people to hurt weaker people.

Yup. I and all of my peers would vastly prefer to get a caning, or belting, or piping (hit with a short length of garden hose), or any other form of corporal punishment over something torturous like extra homework.

We'd watch Hollywood movies and be bewildered by the misbehavior and lack of respect shown to teachers in classrooms.

Every class has square pegs, but with strict teachers, they'd stay in line and not ruin the learning environment for the rest of the class.

Part way through high school, corporal punishment by teachers was banned nationwide, with only the headteacher allowed to administer that punishment. Since then I believe not even headteachers are permitted to strike students.

Might have been as a result of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Schools have gone downhill since.