Personally, I don't think your response was that combative - the first paragraph was the "toughest", but that's where you addressed the major issue.
This is like a chapter out of "Lost in School" by Ross Greene.
I agree that it is important for our difficult children to be challenged from time to time, but teachers who believe it is their personal role to "toughen" up our kids and prepare them for the future have usually been the ones that have done the complete opposite and shut my difficult child down.
Sharon
