Brilliant post longtimegone.
I guess it needs to be added before someone complains that one of your tormentors was her grand-dad, that while your experience is absolutely valid, the person sat next to you might feel very different about their time at school.
Generally schools are much much better these days largely because parents are much more active and their support of a school rightly is not unconditional any more. I remember my parents were terrified of my teachers.
All the same, if a child has dyscalculia, dyslexia, is introverted, or does not learn well in a class setting for example, then with the best will in the world, they are probably still going to have some pretty miserable times at school. Even the academically able ones.