being critical and responding to critics

A memo arrived on my table this morning. It said that, with my colleague, I was asked to see one of the bosses to discuss a letter from a student. It should be a very normal thing to do in an educational institution like this. what makes it extraordinary is the 'sense' that the bosses, and so does my colleague, are angry, can't accept the content of letter proposed by the student. I can't really see the problem with the student's letter. it was just okay for me. he came to me and asked me to check the letter before he submitted it to the faculty management board. and I said it was okay.

What's written on the student's letter was just an explanation on his condition related with one of the faculty's policies. this certain policy affected his overall grade of his study at this faculty. he was just outlining his problems (how the policy affected him), and finally asked for a revision/ consideration on a new policy. There is indeed a new policy applied, and it should affect the students directly without any need to submit a letter of request. well, I can't really state the the policy and the content of the letter explicitly here, it is kind of confidential issue. My point is why should the faculty management board (and also my colleague) respond to the student's letter in a negative atmosphere. I should say 'negative' since they respond it in a manner very closed to 'angry'... (you know, there were two exclamations on the memo I received :D)

Well, there is indeed a 'complaint' in the student's letter. he was expressing his disappointment on the faculty's changing policy, and on how the policy affected his future (in further study opportunity and also in the job competition). It is truly understandable, and I can't see anything wrong with that. If you are disappointed with a policy that affects you and you express your disappointment (in a letter, not by doing vandalism, you know :D) that was totally acceptable, right?

I don't know, may be it was just my 'impoliteness' that causes me to perceive the letter as 'okay' while my colleague and the bosses regard the letter as 'not polite'...
In my opinion, we do have the right to express our thoughts: complaint, appraisal, queries, suggestions, ideas, or else. on the other hand, we should also be open to critics...if someone's complaining on our performance, then there probably is something that we need to work on, to improve, to be better. even if the critics hurt.

Being critical and responding to critics are the arts of life. but I know, many don't agree with this. especially for those whose principal of life is just 'being nrimo'; a principal like 'as someone on the lower position, what we can do is just accept and do what the upper level tell us to do'...It was just weird for me.