I don't know about mainstream classrooms, but DH is a special needs teacher and he would LOVE to have a student where the biggest problem in a day was a fake smoke The teacher could have made it a learning activity ''Awesome smoke, but smoking isn't very healthy - what else can you make?'' or even got into a discussion about smoking and cancer risks and turned it into an internet activity. W sounds really creative and I would have been upset if someone took something off me that I'd made as well. His reaction was appropriate to the situation, hers - not so much. I can't believe the teacher turned a non-issue into an issue.

In terms of the physical side, DH can only remove children if they're about to seriously injure themselves or someone else. Generally, you just get the other kids out of the class and let the kid having the meltdown go for it in the empty classroom with the aide. No need for force.