I got the sense it was an academic class, not a social class. Also, most students who take classes with no interest in learning would either skip class or keep their mouths shut. The problem here is that they're degrading the learning environment for others.

100 level classes barely qualify as academic, and we must have had very different academic experiences if you believe that “most students… with no intention of learning… keep their mouths shut”.

There has always been a population of students that attend college/uni with seemingly no higher goal than scoring and making life worse for everyone around them. The only interesting development here is that the published diversity data has allowed them to finally create Scumbaggery as a Service.

Are they actually? Providing tutoring and help doesn't seem to degrade the learning environment.

I think her argument would have been stronger if she had of listed more details about how the academic environment is being degraded. Upperclassmen helping with labs and offering to tutor some students doesn't immediately make it clear how it is making it harder for students to learn.

If there are students in the class who need help but don't want to go to the upperclassmen, then I'd assume the professor would have more time to help them. Overall I'm curious if the class is doing better or worse than previous classes.