I was in a small congregation in PA in a university town in the '70's; an elder sent his son to college and the boe removed him. He was sort of a vip, had been at bethel, friend of knorr but these small town, uneducated elders still removed him. I'd moved away and don't know if he appealed or how it turned out.
What I can't see is how they'd make exceptions. If they do that, why bother as a jw can find a justification for anything.