...I do fight authoritarianism whenever I can, but it seems the problem here is not the RULE (which the students should probably figure out how to follow) but the abuse of it by those in authority...

That's ALWAYS the problem in these situations. Until everyone is perfect, there have to be rules. And the rules have to be enforced by people who are honestly interested in making the system work smoothly for everyone (and are therefore prepared to bend the rule when it fails to work correctly in a specific situation), NOT by people who simply enjoy having power over other people and making them beg. The trouble with any system of government with elected officials is that the people who seek to be elected are, for the most part, the people who want to have power and "be important." And they're just the people who can be trusted with power the least.

P.