The whole point in this situation is that these interns were acting like children. “how come X gets to do...and I don’t”.
At that point, it is their questioning of authority that is at issue, and further, the idea that a business is a democracy where you can petition for a redress of grievances.
That this was a hill they chose to die on, demonstrates their lack of cognitive ability and thus they were unsuitable for any other development, because they had not mastered the primary goal...do as you are instructed.
I agree completely. This could definitely be seen as an early manifestation of what it’ll be like as these erstwhile SJWs filter out into the workforce.