I get your point, and it is not of itself a bad one.
However, there is horseplay and horseplay. And it very easily morphs over into behavior that would be criminal in any other setting. This is, or used to be, often encouraged by adults in authority in the school.
For instance, when I was in junior high, the PE coach essentially encouraged his pets to bully and terrorize the other students, forming a pack to mistreat them.
He himself also verbally abused students, in the process targeting those he wanted dealt with by his goons.
The whole thing blew up on him when a new student had a doctor’s note that he couldn’t run laps or do similar stuff because of a heart condition. He bullied the kid, who was in may class, so unmercifully that he tried to run anyway, collapsed and died.
There is a difference between horseplay, bullying and a reign of terror. While I agree present policies have gone too far in the opposite direction, I think too many of those who pine for the old days don’t see any such difference. Why should assault and battery be “horseplay” if committed at school but a criminal offense if committed elsewhere?
I agree. However in this case it was reported by a girl not playing the game and no “participant” was interviewed to see if anyone had a complaint. They were all just punished for being boys. Lazy teachers not investigating before acting under the stupid zero tolerance is unacceptable.