The bell is the most important thing in school.

Lol, you are not wrong. Compliance was key when I was in school as well. The mandatory standing for the pledge of allegiance was kind of indoctrination but we were just so accustomed to it that nobody ever questioned it or other things that were done back in the 80's and 90's. I would say that we didn't really mind either but we also didn't know any different.

I saw a meme the other day that said "day 4527 of not needing to find the area of a rhombus!"

Sadly, I don't think that much has changed. I sometimes get to see the homework of my friends' kids and it is the same ol' crap that never gets used in the actual world and in the meantime kids are graduating with zero idea of how to do their taxes or build anything, or cook anything, or grow anything. At least back in "my day" we had a few shop classes and home economics where we would learn the basics of being a human. Those are probably all gone now due to "gender discrimination" or other such bullcrap.