It's one of the unique features of American culture. Look at the disparagement of education and cultural enlightenment in popular music that celebrates being a dumb good ol' boy redneck. Even one of our presidential candidates said wanting your children to be able to go to college makes you a snob - and he got applause from his audience! You can't fix an educational system in a culture where being educated is looked down on.
"... nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
Taken from PARF, apologies to Kang.