Question about bullying laws and anger issues

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OK, so it's great that they want to crack down on bullying, but how exactly is it defined? I was bullied all the time in school, but I'd retaliate by hitting them. Would that have made me a bully too under these laws, or would it be considered provocation/self-defense considering the other person began the attack?

This is how my school district defines it

That's preposterous. If someone tries to rob me and I punch them, it's considered self-defense even if they're unarmed, so why is this any different?

Retaliation isn't self-defense.
Self-Defense isn't retaliation.

Self-defense is trying to protect yourself from harm during a violent attack against you.
It seems language has changed, but the word "bully" to me means:
One or more person who say to you that they are going to give you a bloody nose and
a black eye or "something like that".

Should this actually happen, I guess it is common policy to punish both people, and occasionally only the person who made the threat. In cases where the attacker is not punished by the school, police and/or lawyers maybe called depending on the seriousness of the victim's injuries. If you end up in the hospital then the bully pays the bill, and probably goes from school to juvenile detention for committing serious violent crime.

And if not ...

Just a few years ago, there was an incident of hazing violence in a school which tried to cover it up, death threats to the victims, and the whole town tried to cover it up, lest the football season be cancelled and sports scholarships be lost (as they were) when protesters from everywhere ... since it involved injurious gang rape with seniors against juniors, even Phelps came halfway around the country to raise hell about it, and the scandal made international news. Justice really hit the fan with that one. School was sued, coaches were fired, perpetrators went to jail, at least one "proud father" of the bad jocks died of a heart attack.

But it's considered self-defense if you punch someone who's threatening you, so my question is would it be considered such here? Since bullying comes in so many forms...

Its a tough argument. I would say personally that its okay to fight back (but not go too far) but at the same time, the chances are that you will be the one who gets in trouble, not the bully. I know how flaming hard it is to be bullied and all you can think about when you are alone is how to get revenge (I used to dream of whacking mine over the heads with chairs *Plays psycho theme!* but I never did it! ) The best option is to keep telling on the bullies over and over. Eventually the teachers will get so sick of your complaining that they will stop the bullying (in theory).

_________________
I have HFA, ADHD, OCD & Tourette syndrome. I love animals, especially my bunnies and hamster. I skate in a roller derby team (but I'll try not to bite )

"In theory", that's the problem. When I told the teacher about everything, they (this happened with a variety of teachers) became convinced I was making them up.

Teachers only seem to "help" when you don't want them to, at my school anyway. On Friday my friend Laura thought it would be amusing to nick off with my school bag when I'd hurt my leg and I can't run anyway, so I waited outside her tutor room to get it back, and some interfering son of a biscuit told her tutor what had happened, so he told her off. So now she's convinced I told on her and won't speak to me. Thanks a bunch, teacher.

The principle always is the path of least resistance. They do things, (in JFK voice) not because it is hard but because it is easy...

The authorities in school certainly ban any effort of the bullied to defend themselves in any way. It's officially a "fight" punishable by suspensions if the victim resists. If there's no resistance it's all just fine. The authorities help perpetuate evil because it's easy to do so... Simple. It takes courage to do the right thing.

Teacher's are never impartial.
Many join in the bullying by their complicity, manifest in a refusal to believe the victim/blaming the victim/dismissing or trivialising the complaint.

I guess one way of going about persistent bullying is to go to the principle and report incidents as they happen (keeping a log of them, as you do) - and if there's no action, tell them that since they have done nothing to protect you, you intend to protect yourself physically on the next occasion.
Then get your parent/s to write to the school - or if your parents won't, then send a letter (keep a copy and get signed delivery) from your home address explaining that after numerous complaints to the principle without remedy, you will be forced to protect yourself by any possible means on the next occasion it happens.

That way, you stand at least some chance of avoiding punishment in the event of a fracas.
If the school has notification of the situation, takes no action against the bully and subsequently, falsely punishes the victim - they are then demonstrably complicit in the bullying.