I have a theory about this..
Dangerous levels of lead found in water of half the schools tested in Montana
About half of Montana schools that had tested their water by mid-February under a new state rule had high levels of lead, according to state data. But the full picture isnt clear because less than half of the states school buildings had provided water samples six weeks after the deadline.
For many schools with high lead levels, finding the money to fix the problem will be a challenge. The options arent great. They can compete for a dwindling pool of state money, seek federal aid passed last year, or add the repairs to their long lists of capital improvement projects and pay for the work themselves.
https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/dangerous-levels-of-lead-found-in-water-of-half-the-schools-tested-in-montana/article_505c4188-7894-5b82-af37-e54235947c0a.html
Something like the fall of Rome
https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/did-lead-poisoning-cause-downfall-of-roman-empire-the-jury-is-still-out/
Would explain a lot