You seem to agree that Kierra's prosecution is grossly out-of-line but terribly worried that we might forget that she maybe, should have got a slap on the wrist.

In think its fairly understandable that if someone gets expelled and charged with felonies for a "slap-on-the-wrist" offense the response is focussed how outrageous the prosecution is, not about the details of whether she should have got a talking to or a detention.