Syag > level of academics than the hashkofos. And don’t think their kids don’t pick up on it.
They absolutely pick up! We are teaching kids that academics is hashkofa. Some people prepare for lifetime chinuch and this is great, especially if they understand what is required and ready for it. This would typically be people from families with such traditions. Others prepare to work be erliche yidden in what they do, do chesed, learn, etc. Our family has at least 5 generations of engineers/ businessmen/ doctors and the kids understand that academics is required to follow this derech. They understand that academics is not a goal to supersede others and none of them was interested in going to schools with good academics but compromised behaviors.