“Read Rav Shach’s Michtavim Umamarim (for example regarding Michlala)”
He wasn’t against Michlalah because of the secular studies.
“that is an understatement. The charedi world in EY has been militantly (at times literally) opposed to secular studies.”
That’s not completely true. The boys have secular studies in elementary school, and the girls have throughout elementary and high school and three years of post-high-school. Nowadays, even the most Chareidi Bais Yaakov high school in Yerushalayim gives some bogrut (yeah, I was also surprised when I found that out recently). This would seem to show that the main issue with secular studies is bitul Torah (since that is the only good explanation as to why it is not considered a problem for the girls).
Also, it is not SO different in EY than in the US. In the US, the more Yeshivish Yeshivas usually do not have limudei chol either (at least in Lakewood), and in elementary school, the limudei chol is also limited to 2 hours a day (fairly similar to most Chadarim in EY).
“you kind of hit the nail on the head, but then dont follow through.”
Not sure what you mean by that. My whole point was that these types of things do not define Chareidiism any more than whether one drives a car or rides a horse to get to Shul.