You get kids who are reading at the 3rd grade level and you're supposed to bring them up to grade level in one hour a week, in batches of 33. You cannot discipline them, they don't do homework, and their parents will reward them with electronic toys no matter how badly they do.
Only 25% or so are functional. The rest are non-starters fit only for manual labor, but if you fail 75% of your students, your principal will be on you like a duck on a June bug, and may even just "administratively" change your grades anyway. Especially if parents come in having a fit. The goal is to pass as many kids as you can.
By college age, the attitude is baked in with the pie.
I’m sorry, I meant to say “bring them up to grade level in one hour a day, five days a week.” (sigh) Time to make the donuts.
Teachers become fed up with some students who have behavior issues. They pass those students so they don’t have to deal with them again the next year. If I were a teacher, I would probably have the same mindset. Maybe boot camp for elementary children would straighten some out.
Sometimes it is maturity. I made a D in the 2nd Principles of Accounting class in college. 10 years later, I got a degree in Accounting with a 3.5 GPA.
I had to re-take the 2nd Principles class. On the first exam, the students demanded a curve because the test was so hard. The professor asked “If it was so hard, how did someone make a 98?”. Everyone turned and looked at me because I was wearing a tie. “Hey, this is my 2nd time”