Religion

Stupidity was considered a virtue. Intelligence and education were things to be feared because these were things that could be used to take advantage of someone (who is stupid). Some of this is just left over rubisms from reconstruction in the South, but it doesn't help that there's a church on every corner and most teachers in primary school started the day with a bible lesson.

It's like the school where Pence's wife works. As impossible as it sounds they are literally teaching ignorance and stupidity to children. While religion isn't really required to do that, it just makes it far more efficient.