I've got to completely disagree with Michigan's over zealous reaction to this incident. I'm sure I'll be called a name but screw it.
There are two issues at play here. The first is the teachers actions in todays world. What he did was wrong, I don't think he did anything over the top but he didn't stay in control and thats exactly what the students want to do is get him going. Stop saying the guy spit on her like is was battery. He was yelling and like most of us spit came out of his mouth and the little girl told him to stop. This is where he just didn't stay in control and that is flat wrong.
The second issue is the thought process by many that we should be defending kids like they are a 6 week old puppy that just pissed on the rug. "They are kids, kids will be kids" this is bullshit. These "kids" are young adults that know exactly what they are doing. I've worked in the law and outside of the law and we have let the inmates run the asylum. Public education needs to be treated as a priviledge and not a right.
I have two small children at home and work every single day to teach them respect for others. I can assure you that if either of my kids talked back to me, a teacher, or another adult like these kids do they'd recieve an ass whipping and I wouldn't apologize for it at all. Todays parents with all their bitching about life needing to be fair, and overprotective bullshit has ruined a generation of kids. I have tried to hire countless teens and 20 somethings and to find one worth keeping is definately rare. They are spoiled brats who think they are owed something by society because thats what they have been taught.