I have been spit on, cussed at, punched, threatened, etc. and very little has been done to the student because "it was a product of his/her disability" (keep in mind I teach behavior disordered children). The courts here won't touch a BD child because of possible repercussions.
Here a special education child can only be suspended for 10 school days. Any more and it is an infringement on his educational rights. If a special education child is expelled (which can only be approved by God) the district is responsible for providing his/her education.
Here in KY several years ago a student literally beat up a school bus driver in front of the other children. To my knowlege not a thing (other than suspension) was done to the child. Big deal. That tells me - abuse an adult and then you get several days off!

Something is wrong with the whole system. I believe it is because of a litigious society in which we live. So many people are afraid of what MIGHT happen that they can't (or won't) do the right thing ie: discipline their children (be it parents, teachers, administrators, juvenile justice, law enforcement, etc.). I have seen many teacher's careers and livelihoods destroyed because of false accusations made by students and parents. In all but one of those cases the students/parents were lying. Do you think that that will matter to the teachers who will always be known as "that teacher that molested that student" or "the teacher that slapped that kid"? It won't. I know there are the Mary Kaye Letourneaus and the other sickos out there.