Zero tolerance policies go in place because people don’t like teachers and principals making punishment decisions, they like blanket “fair” punishments. Notice back when they were allowed to make decisions, and allowed to use corporal punishment, we didn’t have these kinds of problems (and the many worse problems that are around today).
If these were “those days” I could see it. But now, in the 21st Century, I don’t trust the JBT wannabes with corporal punishment.