[Aliantha]

I guess what it comes down to is that if the family wont or can't help, and any help from the state is at best ineffectual, most parents of a bullied child would condone almost any other recourse in order to protect their child from abuse, which is the sentiment expressed by many here. I know that in the situation of my kids, the school was unable to protect them, and so they decided to protect themselves, and I supported them. Surely if a parent of a bullied child who stood up for themselves then chastised the child it would cause the same, if not more harm than the bullying in the first place.

Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils rather than what's right or wrong.