MaKesher:
“With today’s society in mind, what can be done about the low level of academics and Derech Eretz being shown in many schools?”
HOME RUN!!!
What is needed is very simple. The school must have administration who BELIEVES in education. The administration must enforce derech eretz in the afternoon as much as they enforce it with the Judaic Studies. If the English Principal doesn’t believe in the quality of services offered, he is the wrong one for the job. If the English Principal is too scared to discipline the donor’s or board member’s child, he should be terminated.
I have always been against the wealthy parents bailing their kids out of trouble caused by misbehavior. This feeds right into their ego and belief that they can weazle out of more serious things in life. By not educating your child to the norms of societal behaviors, you are teaching how to be a crook later in life where the stakes for bad behaviors are much steeper.