It most certainly depends on what school you went to. When I was in high school our teachers were always willing to answer hashkafa and yahadus questions, although sometimes the answer was “let’s discuss this after class” (which they did). My principal was also known as always being willing to meet with students to discuss any questions they had, whether philosophical or personal.
Not that they always let us take the lazy way out. . . I remember teachers responding to questions by recommending specific books and then saying bring it up again after you’ve read the book, or better yet give an oral summary to the class for extra credit. . . I remember when certain difficult questions or topics came up, teachers would give extra credit to students who would research the topic and write it up. . .
Overall my memory of high school was actually one of tremendous seeking and thinking, and I remember my friends discussing all sorts of issues relating to emunah and bitachon, bechira, etc., as well as discussions about the hashkafos behind tznius (a big one for high school girls!). I also remember discussing many of these topics with our teachers both in class and in extra curricular settings such as shabbatonim.
I did grow up out of town, so perhaps that explains why my experience was so different from that of the OP.