Yeah but if my friend's parents hadn't lied for us, we would have been toast. Things are even worse these days. Teachers don't understand when I tell them my kids don't tattle, they hit back. My youngest, an 8 yr old girl, was getting soccer balls bounced off her head at recess. The teacher on yard duty was blissfully unaware of this, so her 15 yr old brother taught her how to fight. The next day she knocked this one boy to the ground. Teacher was still blissfully anaware, but no one bounces soccer balls off her head anymore :)
Basically, you have to stick up for the smaller kids.