I remember getting into a fistfight with two other kids in middle school over typical bullying BS that motivates 13 year olds. I didn't pick the fight, and I didn't win the two on one. But I fought back and made a decent showing for myself.

Apparently, the school had only recently adopted a zero tolerance policy for fighting. This included hitting back. So I was set to be suspended for a week and was further going to have to write an essay about why I was wrong to fight. I distinctly remember that as the first time I told a school administrator "No," followed by, "No, and I don't care if you expel me, I don't care if my parents try to force me to do it too, I won't write that."

Fortunately my parents agreed with me. That kind of attitude doesn't come out of nowhere. Dad had a few choice words. They had been called to the office before and always taken the side of, "How did our son screw up, and how can we help fix it," so I was still surprised. The administration eventually backed down.

Sad to see that those same administrators ended up in the British legal system.