I'm retired now but I taught in Provo and the vast majority of students and families valued education and called us out if time was just wasted. I had a lot of BYU professors' kids and they were sharp kids that wanted to learn. Sure there were days where we had some fun and it wasn't all critical thinking but to say it is just day care is wrong. The truth of it was the kid reflected the attitude of the parent. Some felt they were too good for school and above the lowly teachers. Others honored the profession and were grateful for the work being done.
Your description might fit in some of the worst districts in America but isn't at all what I experienced as a student in California in the 70s/80s or my time as a teacher in Utah in the 90s-2020.