you know... those kind of overly strict teachers was still present on early 2000s
and I'm kinda glad I was in those back then 'cause majority of these overly strict teachers are also good at teaching. there's just really stupid kids who basically want attention and clearly need some straightening... I grew up in police/military focused family so being strict was just part of my life.
nowadays, we have these reporting system about abusive teachers and that's good. not gonna lie I had a ptsd inducing experience back in 4th grade it almost scaled up to a judicial dispute in a local hall but principal had it settled before it escalated further. downside to this is just... kids... no matter how good your teaching practice is, there'll be stupid kids that warrant the lynching within your head... like jesus... stress inducing brats... not that they can't be handled, it's just that being a teacher is fully flooded work inside and outside.
parents are to be blamed too if they can't at least teach their children on how to act. giving a degree of freedom to them is good so that they can learn how to be independent but unsupervised children just... ugh... BE EFFIN RESPONSIBLE IN HANDLING 'EM DAMNIT!
all of the strict teachers I had were serious in teaching and not because of just them being an arsehole (my PE teacher in High School was a strict, ego-centric, prideful dick though and I hated that guy).