[siculars]

OP, consider this episode a badge of honor. You're doing the right thing. Learning valuable technology and skills for a successful future - not just in tech but in whatever you want to do. Finding a problem and doggedly pursuing a solution is what you need to do in "real life." Chalk this episode up to life experience. You have won a moral victory but as you said, don't expect them to change their minds. Graduate and move on to bigger and better things and leave these luddites in your rearview.

[Fuxy]

Don't you think you're contradicting yourself a bit you encourage him to be persistent in fixing problems and never giving up but on the other hand you tell him to give up and let the school have its way.

The hacker mentality doesn't just abruptly stop once we're not dealing with programming issues.

Being relentless and constantly pushing to get what you want is a way of life.