Last point is interesting. There is also a parallel phenomenon where social media creator is one of the top (actually the top in some surveys) "dream professions" among youth these days, displacing the traditional ones like pro athlete, doctor, lawyer, actor, etc.[1][2]

When I was in high school we were completely gripped by the notion that it was necessary to get into a good university program in order to have a (monetarily) bright future. If that mythology is broken, I can imagine it becomes very hard for the average teenager to give a shit about school at all.

[1] https://today.yougov.com/technology/articles/39997-influence...

[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/19/more-children-dream-of-being...

Do students in the US not get held back if tjey dont pass their grades?

Conservatives would recommend against a non-STEM degree (or any degree which is unlikely to have a positive ROI).

The rate of single parenthood has drastically increased over the decades, which undoubtedly has impacted grade school success more than the “conservative movement” boogie man you felt the need to shoehorn into your argument.