Absent physical violence, I spent 180 days in lunch detention during middle school for refusing to do my math homework due to the marginal impact it had on my grade. Even after 2 trimesters away from my friends during lunch I refused to do the teacher's busywork, and they refused to give me my time back. It was a zero-sum solution for both of us (and a surprisingly childish response from an adult that ought to know better).

Sometimes, students recognize the barriers around them and exploit them to their fullest potential. One student pays attention after getting the book thrown at them, another observes how the teacher aimed for the floor and tests their patience because they know they won't get hit no matter how many times they zone-out. It's disappointingly easy to bait educators into disproportionate escalation, in my problem-child experience.