"As for your conversations with the bureaucracy, do you really think their confusion was in not understanding your point? I'd guess that any confusion they had was in how you had a job there at all, while you were busy saying things that shouldn't be said. I think you were the one not "getting it"."

I'm torn myself; I could see it being due to self-interested playing dumb, but also the genuine kind given that we are talking about gross failings of basic education, after all, which has to have consequences down the line.