disciplining your kids

Raising kids is hard!  This is a surprise to you?  They are people, with opinions and hearts and brains and sass.  When they are little you think that it will get easier when they get older but then they are taller than you and it isn't easier.  Sure, they can make their own lunch for school and eventually drive themselves around, but there are still tense times.
Bear in mind-my kid is a good kid.  Not like "my child is perfect and never does wrong" but hear me say that there are children with far more obstacles and challenges than mine has presented.  But we have some trouble with school.  And attitude.  And wanting to be in charge.
She was accused of cheating at school on a paper that greatly affected her grade.  Of course, she denied it.  I was a teenager once.  I cheated on work a few times.  I skipped school more than a few times.  I get the temptation.  I also know what my kid is capable of.  She probably did cheat.  How do I know this?
She told the teacher to handle it however she needed to.
Not the words of an innocent person.  Didn't fight for herself at all.
She is a confident kid, so I know that she could have fought if she wanted to.  Also need to add that the teacher was her previous youth pastor from church.  That puts a kink in things.
So here we are two months later and she gets "caught" cheating in a different class.  So this is it, right?  I am fed up.  I gave her the benefit of the doubt before, but oh not this time!  I text her and ask her to explain herself.  I email the teacher back and ask for a meeting.  She begrudgingly agrees, as it is a Friday afternoon after school and has a class half full of kids when we arrive (mental note-class must have an issue).

Here is the short version-
teacher: she cheated and I caught her.  Zero given.
me to kid: you better explain yourself
kid (crying until she almost vomits): blah blah blah I didn't cheat blah blah blah I swear!
me to myself: my kid is showing emotion and begging!  I don't think she cheated (on purpose)!!
me to teacher: could this have been a misunderstanding? would you be willing to let her stay and do the work now?
teacher: okay

Private conversation after kid leaves room: teacher tells me they all cheat all day long in every class on everything and she wants to write CHEATER CHEATER CHEATER on their papers.

Raising kids is hard enough without adding frustrated crazy old teachers into the mix.
Sounds like everyone needs a vacation.