That kind of blind spot is not unusual, old dogs and all that.
Please explain to me what is “liberal” about punishing a student for excessive tardiness.
I went to elementary school before the federal DOE was formed. The school administration was quite conservative, and making kids stand in the hall for a few minutes if they were being disruptive, or requiring them to be isolated from their friends at lunch for some minor behavioral problem were regular punishments.
But it was not “liberal” or “conservative”, it was simply punishment.
Not EVERYTHING can, or should, be divided in to “liberal” vs “conservative”.