Actually, no. When referring to a specific word or phrase as written elsewhere (especially in another's writing), and particularly when the subject being discussed is the word or phrase itself, as opposed to the item or concept which is the referent of that word, the use of quotation marks as in the above is completely correct and is in fact preferred.
In short, if you're going to correct someone else, it always helps if what you're saying is, in fact, correct.
Bob M.