I think its not about the English language, its about the American school system. The way curriculum decisions are spread out and the existence of so many petty

I think its not about the English language, its about the American school system. The way curriculum decisions are spread out and the existence of so many petty fiefdoms means that there are many examples where someone is in a position to try to 'make their mark' by changing curriculum and picks a direction based mostly on their personal gut feelings. The 'make your mark' aspect leads away from picking tried-and-true approaches in favor of something more trendy.