The issue to me is not the rule of zero tolerance it's the level of punishment. You are clearly an intelligent individual and should be trusted to determine if a repremand is enough or suspesion is actually necessary to correct the problem. If teachers might be to biased to trust then the principle should be trustworthy. The punishment did not fit the crime and that's my issue. This boy needed and explaination in front of his parent. That would have been adequate.