There's always some kind of middle ground. I used to work in schools, and I've seen the problem. The bottom line issue seems to speak to a culture that wants a quick fix, and granted, some people need that quick fix. But lots of folks would do well to make a sincere effort at learning coping skills (diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, yoga, relaxation, mindfulness, ecotherapy, other therapies that include skills building, maybe even trauma therapies like EMDR...) before reaching for meds.
And yes, most schools are still designed on a 19th century factory model that was never all that effective for those at either end of the bell curve. Factory model schools teach to the middle and are designed for conformity and compliance. Those who struggle academically or behaviorally and those who are advanced tend not to get their needs met.
As adults we're faced with profit-motivated Big Pharma providing "solutions" for people in a profit-motivated capitalist system seeking to squeeze out of each employee the most productivity at the lowest cost. Some companies do better if they want long term and stable employees. Others prefer the burn and churn because when a higher paid employee leaves, a fresh one is waiting who is willing to work for less. This isn't true in all industries, but I've seen it in many, including education, by the way, which is part of the reason why teachers (not to mention parents) kind of like their kids medicated. But then, go figure, there's a teacher shortage... And a shortage of parents willing and able to effectively parent.. And a worker shortage in some of those other industries that lean toward burn and churn...