Covid has made this even worse, as they are not poorly ventilated disease pits. I've met homeschooled kids. They are fine. A cousin was Waldorf schooled from

Covid has made this even worse, as they are not poorly ventilated disease pits. I've met homeschooled kids. They are fine. A cousin was Waldorf schooled from K through 12. He's turned out great. And what you describe is the better schools. The bad schools are even worse. And the really really bad schools are even worse. People who live near them and can manage either move, or scrape the money to send the kids to Catholic or private schools.