Yes, that was a hindrance to his learning. And although one may plausibly argue that such a transgression causes insignificant disturbance to the educational system, it is more a matter of morality.
Though I tend to agree with you to an exent, from what I've seen, I think you've been brainwashed by "the educational system" into taking these things a bit too seriously. In the big picture, does it really matter that much? (Hint: this is a rhetorical question, and the obvious answer is
no).